About this product: Shaun, the clever little sheep from Nick Park's Oscar-winning short A Close Shave (1995), returns for more stop-motion fun in Back in the Ba-a-ath. While the nearsighted and none-too-bright Farmer is away, Shaun and his flock-mates explore their surrounding and get into mischief. When the water in the sheep-dip tank proves too cold for comfort (it freezes a duck solid), Shaun and company devise an elaborate scheme to steal the Farmer's hot bathwater. Shaun also has to design a workout routine for a sheep who's gotten too fat to get through the barn door. Whenever the Farmer can see them, they act like ordinary sheep under the watchful eye of Bitzer the sheepdog, which adds to the fun. Although the animation is much less polished than in Park's ground-breaking film, the artists include some deft touches that bring the characters to life. Warm, charming, and funny, the Shaun the Sheep cartoons will delight small children--and their parents. (Unrated, suitable for all ages: minor cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon
(1. Shape Up with Shaun, 2. Bathtime, 3. Fetching, 4. Take Away, 5. Still Life, 6. Scrumping, 7. Stick With Me, 8. The Kite)
About this product: A delirious mix of broad comedy and wall-to-wall splatter, the New Zealand feature Black Sheep makes a convincing case for sheep as the new modern horror icon. These sheep aren't the garden variety grass eaters, however; they're genetically altered sheep who develop a ravenous hunger for human flesh after an experimental fetus is accidentally unleashed on a sprawling ranch by a hapless environmentalist (Kiwi actor and broadcaster Oliver Driver). And to make matters worse, those bitten by the monster sheep transform into monstrous "were-sheep" (spectacularly absurd creations by the Weta Workshop). The resulting clash between man and sheep is soaked in gore, of course, but the violence is taken to such outlandish extremes that only the easily nauseated or terminally grumpy will find it offensive. Writer/director Jonathan King's debut feature juggles the gore and the gags (many of which gleefully tread the lowbrow path) with skill thanks to an energetic cast, especially Nathan Meister as the sheep-phobic hero and Danielle Mason as an animal rights crusader who discovers her inner carnivore. The unrated DVD includes commentary by King and Meister, a 30-minute making-of featurette which includes an interview with Richard Taylor of Weta on the film's elaborate creatures, a smattering of deleted scenes, blooper reel, and a half-minute visual joke titled "Early Morning" that was shot especially for the DVD release. -- Paul Gaita
About this product: Shaun the Sheep™ and his barnyard gang are back with more chaos in the countryside! The Oscar(r)-winning creators of Wallace and Gromit ™ do it again with sheeptacular new adventures and just shear wackiness. Shaun is a sheep who doesn't follow the flock, and along with the other sheep and those naughty pigs, there's sure to be plenty of mayhem in the meadow.
About this product: What’s black and white and goes bump in the night? Don’t be scared – it’s your woolly friend, Shaun the Sheep™! Join Shaun as he leads his fearless flock through six new adventures that mix the spooky, the kooky, and the just plain funny. A troublesome tractor, freaky farm noises, and sleepwalking sheep are only a few of the weird and wonderful surprises waiting for Shaun and his barnyard pals as they creep, sneak and make mayhem in this laugh-filled collection.
About this product: A likable mix of WWII action and light comedy, the first 10 episodes of the NBC series Baa Baa Black Sheep (1976-78) wing their way onto DVD in this double-sided two-disc set. Based on the adventures of Marine Corps pilot Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington (played in the series by the always dependable Robert Conrad) and his squadron of roguish ace fliers in the South Pacific Theater, Baa Baa Black Sheep benefited from an excellent cast (which included such TV and film vets as Simon Oakland and Dana Elcar, as well as up-and-comers like John Larroquette and Larry Manetti of Magnum, P.I.) and scripts from series creator Stephen J. Cannell (as well as long-time TV scribes like Philip De Guere and Milt Rosen) that offered a enjoyable balance of humor and combat. The blend gets an excellent showcase in the 1976 two-hour pilot, Flying Misfits, which kicks off volume 1; the remaining 10 adventures pit Pappy and the Black Sheep boys against the Axis Japanese in a secret squadron of captured planes ("The Meatball Circus," episode 8), a brainwashed American captain ("Presumed Dead," episode 7), and a tough major (Charles Napier) with designs on commanding the squadron ("Best Three out of Five," episode 3). Fans of the series may question the decision to include only half of the first season's episodes in this set (the 1976-77 season ran for an additional 12 episodes before being dropped by NBC; the series was revived in late 1977, rechristened Black Sheep Squadron, and ran for an additional 13 episodes before being canceled in 1978), but the inclusion of the two-part pilot and interviews with the real Pappy Boyington (who served as the show's consultant and even cameos in the pilot) should appease any concerns. --Paul Gaita
About this product: Chris Farley plays the disaster-prone brother of a gubernatorial candidate in Washington State. Though he is well meaning, the havoc he creates on the campaign trail is drawing press attention, so a snotty aide (David Spade) to the politician is dispatched to keep the big lug under control. Spade's character initially insults his charge as often as possible, but over time, the two bond and end up becoming a part of the final election push. Farley and Spade have some very funny moments, but overall the film feels rushed and poorly planned. Constant changes in character and script happen recklessly and randomly so that nothing ever really makes sense; the film keeps changing the rules by which it plays. --Tom Keogh
About this product: Chris Farley plays the disaster-prone brother of a gubernatorial candidate in Washington State. Though he is well meaning, the havoc he creates on the campaign trail is drawing press attention, so a snotty aide (David Spade) to the politician is dispatched to keep the big lug under control. Spade's character initially insults his charge as often as possible, but over time, the two bond and end up becoming a part of the final election push. Farley and Spade have some very funny moments, but overall the film feels rushed and poorly planned. Constant changes in character and script happen recklessly and randomly so that nothing ever really makes sense; the film keeps changing the rules by which it plays. --Tom Keogh
DVD
