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• Title: Beethoven’s Big Break
• IMDB: link

Beethoven’s Big Break is a family fun lov’n good time. It might be number 5 or 7 in the series, but overall for innocent family/kid TV watching goodness this old dog has got some new tricks, and a few old ones too. Who doesn’t love a 185-lb St Bernard and all his litter coming over for dinner? There are a few laughs, good tunes for the younger audience like the Jonas Brothers and Everlife and a handful of somewhat comical actors like Johathan Silverman and Eddie Grifin. Beethoven’s Big Break is all right for what it is; yet another big slobbering dog makes funny family film.

Oh no, someone has planned to kidnap this adorable lug and hold him for ransom. Will Eddie (Jonathan Silverman) be able to save Beethoven or will the mean bad guys keep him for good? Eddie, an animal trainer and single dad, ends up attempting to train the new star of a big Hollywood hit, a 185-lb St Bernard named Beethoven. First his son, Billy (Moises Arias), straggles home with Beethoven and his rascally lot of puppies and Eddie tries to stick to his NO ANIMALS ALLOWED rules, but he’s a big ole’ sucker and falls for it. Now he finds that Beethoven has taken over a big screen role and he has to train him. Whatever shall Eddie do?

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• Title: Burn After Reading
• IMDB: link

I was pretty mixed on Burn After Reading when I saw it in theaters (read that review).  The film works better for me a second time but it’s still a bit of a mixed bag and could have been vastly improved with simply increasing the dose of Sledge Hammer.

Although I like the film more on DVD, there’s simply not enough here to justify plopping down the cash to add it to your collection, though it would make a nice rental.

• Title: Death Race
• IMDB: link

If you missed Death Race in the theater you didn’t miss much.  If you miss it on DVD, well, the same could be said.  The movie is now available on DVD and Blu-ray.  Unless you’ve ot nothing left in your Netflix cue or you simple want to fast-forward to all the stunts you probably want ot wait until this turkey (created by the director and producer who gave us Event Horizon) hits cable.

I was less than impressed with Paul W.S. Anderson’s remake of Death Race 2000.  The film follows a group of convicts who race around the prison yard in armored suped-up cars with machine guns, all for the camera.  For more on the plot of the film itself read the original review.

Reading the review and watching the film and features show you just how large the disconnect was with the people involved in making the film and the final result.  “Grounded in reality as much as possible.”  Yeah, like Hancock.  Death Race isn’t a total waste but it’s more of a cable flick to check out a 2am than something you’re going to want to put money down for – unless you simply want a mindless action flick you can get wasted to with your friends and laugh at, stare at the tame T&A, and enjoy the stunts.  I think that’s actually the target audience for the film.

• Title: Mamma Mia!
• IMDB: link
• Title: The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
• IMDB: link

Fans of these films should find ample extras to warrant adding these titles to their respective library, but this humble reviewer thought both films were dumber than dirt that’s been molested by a mule-kicked hobo.  Mamma Mia throws down extra ABBA love with cut numbers and a sing-along feature, while the Mummy: TotDE documents nearly every aspect of the film’s production.

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