NEED LAST-MINUTE GIFTS? DVD REVIEWS MAY HELP.
Ted (Unrated) Two-Disc Combo Pack: Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet Universal out of 5
Not all lewd, vulgar and juvenile comedies are created equal. That’s My Boy, Adam Sandler’s recent release, is a prime example of what can go wrong when a bawdy comedy is done badly.
For a movie of this genre to succeed, it requires an intelligent script that knows when and how to cross the line of good taste, as opposed to pushing the boundaries of acceptability without any rhyme or reason.
Ted comes from the warped mind of Seth MacFarlane, creator of the animated TV series Family Guy, American Dad and The Cleveland Show. The plot is a little twisted — a young boy makes a Christmas wish that his teddy bear comes to life and when the miracle happens, the two become friends for life.
Move ahead 25 years later and the pair is still hanging out and living a life of debauchery filled with booze, drugs and girls.
MacFarlane’s talents suit this style of comedy perfectly but if you’re not a fan of his, I’d suggest passing on Ted.
For those who enjoy MacFarlane’s comedy, Ted will undoubtedly leave you doubled over with laughter.
The cast is quite good — Mark Wahlberg is excellent as John, the man who can’t give up his childhood for the woman he loves, while Mila Kunis continues to prove she is the best thing to come from the sitcom That 70s Show. The depth of the cast, which also includes Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi and Patrick Warburton, is a pleasant surprise.
Ted is obscene — there’s no doubt it deserved its R rating — but it’s also wildly funny and that’s exactly what I look for in a comedy.
In addition to Blu-ray, DVD, digital and UltraViolet copies, the combo pack also includes a blooper reel, deleted scenes and the making of Ted short among its extras.
— Jeff DeDekker
The Simpsons: The 15th Season (DVD) 20th Century Fox ½ out of 5
The most surprising thing about watching Season 15 of The Simpsons on DVD? Laughing through many episodes and only after that discovering that most of the episodes are nearly 10 years old (they aired during the 2003-04 television season).
While Season 15 comes well after the show’s heyday, it’s still quite possible to find at least a few laughs — and oftentimes more than a few — in every episode.
Given that the episodes are almost a decade old, this collection might not be for the casual fan (given that they’ve likely seen the episodes dozens of times in syndication) but the show’s creators have gone all out for those who will buy the discs.
There’s commentary on every single episode, a handful of deleted scenes which can be watched woven seamlessly into the episodes and more.
Animation nuts should get a kick out of The Unusual Ones, a featurette that looks back over some of the sequences inspired by other animators over the first 15 years of The Simpsons.
And while the packaging is a little cumbersome to get into despite looking great, once you do, there are plenty of hours of entertainment within.
— Tim Switzer
Sons of Anarchy: Season 4 (Blu-ray) 20th Century Fox (out of 5)
While it seems to be on a downward slide after its incredible first two seasons, Sons of Anarchy is still one of the best and most original shows on television.
Season 4 find the Sons freshly out of jail and now looking to branch out from their weapons-running gig and into business with a Mexican drug cartel. There’s a new sheriff in town, a new assistant district attorney trying to bring the Sons to justice and new players from the cartel — including the always entertaining Danny Trejo.
Like the previous three seasons, Season 4 offers up some great performances from the ensemble cast, particularly Ron Perlman’s Clay Morrow, one of the best villains on TV. As well, there are few characters you can go between loving and hating so often as with Gemma Teller (Katey Sagal).
That’s not to mention the fact Season 4 offers of the best season finales — the final image in particular — I have seen on TV.
The show’s mix of original music and covers of classic tunes give it a distinct feel that always seems to fit perfectly with a biker gang. Fans of the show’s music will enjoy a brief special feature showing Sagal and theme song vocalist Curtis Stigers performing at the House of Blues.
The rest of the features are pretty standard fare with some commentary, extended episodes and deleted scenes.
Oh, and if you don’t want to know which major character dies this season, don’t read the back of the box before you watch.
— Tim Switzer