Dolphin Tale 2 a touching story about the power of hope
Dolphin Tale 2 Blu-ray Combo Pack Warner Bros.
★★★ out of five
You don’t have to have seen Dolphin Tale to appreciate and enjoy Dolphin Tale 2. Both family-friendly movies are inspired by the true story of Winter, a dolphin that received a prosthetic tail.
In the sequel, Winter loses her surrogate mother, leaving her grieving and depressed. She doesn’ t want to engage with anyone, not even her best human friend, Sawyer.
To make matters worse, because regulations require dolphins be paired, it looks like Winter will have to be moved from her aquarium home — much to the chagrin of aquarium staff.
Just when it seems like a companion won’t be found in time to prevent the loss of Winter, aquarium staff come to the rescue with Hope.
This is a touching story about friendship, family and the power of hope. It demonstrates how both people and creatures can overcome obstacles and thrive despite seemingly insurmountable challenges.
The movie reminds viewers that dolphins are wild animals, not pets, and emphasizes the importance of putting safety first when handling them.
An array of special features provide a further glimpse into the fascinating world of these extraordinary underwater creatures. Good family entertainment.
— Irene Seiberling
Into The Storm Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
★★ out of five
This movie has plenty of twists and turns to keep one watching, but the plot itself, well, sucks, er, blows.
Into the Storm is about three intersecting, clichéd tales — the widowed father failing miserably at trying to raise his troubled teenage sons; the professional storm chasers trying to get the once-ina-lifetime shot at any cost; and, then the amateur, drunk thrill seekers chasing the storm and pros around with a smartphone. Add tornadoes and mix. When dad goes off in search of his wayward son, the big one/ones hits — setting everyone on a collision course, quite literally.
As with Twister 18 years ago (a better movie), the special effects are fantastic, including a fiery vortex, multiple twisters, horizontal bodies blown off their feet, the scene from inside the eye of the storm. (OK, so there no’s no flying combine, a la Twister.)
But this movie is a mishmash, as if the creators weren’t certain which path to take: Thriller? Comedy? Tragedy? Romance? Or maybe they just hoped to toss everything together and try to make a story. It’s still entertaining, largely because of the special effects.
I had just hoped it might blow me away.
— Barb Pacholik
Perry Mason Movie Collection Volumes 10-12 CBS/Paramount
★★★ ½ out of five
It’s a winning crime show formula that has stood the test of time: Show the audience the murder, but don’t identify the killer, then dangle a number of likely suspects in front of our eyes.
None did it better than the longrunning legal drama Perry Mason. One of the pleasures of watching it is trying to decide whodunnit before the intrepid lawyer unmasks them in court.
Raymond Burr started playing Mason on weekly TV in the 1950s and he was still going strong in 90-minute movies of the week in the 1980s and 1990s. With regular secretary/investigator Della (Barbara Hale), Burr was terrific in the role, making many a witness shrivel under ferocious cross examination.
These three double-feature DVDs, released separately, offer episodes aired from 1991-93. There are some good yarns here, including David Soul as a famed artist who fakes his own death then reappears five years later to confront a counterfeit artist making millions in his name. Also notable is the death of a magician’s assistant during a live show. An accident? Or was it murder?
Guest actors in these six movies include Morgan Fairchild, Tippi Hedren, John Rhys-Davies and David Warner. There are no extras.
—Andy Cooper
This is Where I Leave You Blu-ray Combo Pack Warner Bros
★★★ ½ out of five
People are complicated. Relationships are complicated. Life is complicated.
If you don’t do complicated well, watch out — you’re in for a rollercoaster ride! That’s what Jason Bateman’s character discovers in This is Where I Leave You.
After losing his wife to his boss, then his job, he returns to his childhood home for his father’s funeral. He’s joined there by his three adult siblings and their over-sharing mother, played by Jane Fonda.
There are touching moments, chaotic moments and hilarious moments.
This Jewish family isn’t used to observing their faith’s traditions. But their father’s final wish, they’re told, is for the family to sit shiva together for an entire week. So with guidance from “Rabbi Boner,” they spend an eye-opening, enlightening, problematic seven days together, during which they’re forced to confront their problems. This is the ultimate dysfunctional family!
Entertaining performances are provided by Bateman and Fonda, as well as Tina Fey, Adam Driver, Rose Byrne and Kathryn Hahn.
Special features include hilarious outtakes of Ben Schwartz as Rabbi Boner, plus deleted and extended scenes, and commentary and discussion with director/producer Shawn Levy and screenplay writer/executive producer Jonathan Tropper.
— Irene Seiberling