Film Gecko’s blogging platform won’t let me embed the video (wah!), so I’m going to send you over to Moviefone to watch it, because it’s quite romantic and fun.

In case you need more incentive, it’s got Hepburn and Tracy, Pattinson and Stewart, Ford and Fisher, Roberts and Grant, Streep and Eastwood, Keaton and Allen, Bogart and Bergman, and oh, plenty more.

Regular Film Gecko readers know I’m all about the romantic movies, so it’s definitely worth three and a half minutes of your time.

Really, it’ll give you hope that love truly exists in our crazy world — both in the movies and real life.

Image: Warner Bros.

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Let’s talk about the Two-Disc Special Edition DVD. This has a bunch of bonus features: 

• Trailers: Night At The Museum 2, The Marine 2, Family Guy Presents: Something Something Something Dark Side, X Men Trilogy Blu-ray Trailer, and Sons Of Anarchy Season 1
• Commentary by Director Gavin Hood
• Commentary by Producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter
• The Roots of Wolverine: A Conversation with Stan Lee and Len Wein
• Wolverine Unleashed: The Complete Origins
• Deleted and Alternate Scenes
• Anti Smoking PSA

Disc 2: Digital Copy

When I saw this movie in theaters, people were actually getting up and walking out, but I didn’t think it was that bad. Not the best movie I’ve ever seen, but still not that bad.

More after the jump…

The movie takes us back to the childhood of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). We know him from the first three “X-Men” movies, but he had a wild and interesting life before he showed up in those. Even as young Jimmy Logan in 1845, he had those spiky hands, only the spikes were crude, bony-looking things then, emerging whenever Jimmy got angry. His heritage included some daddy issues, and a half-brother named Victor Creed a.k.a. Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber), complete with fangs and all.

A series of quick scenes shows the non-aging brothers fighting through several wars, including the Civil War, World War Two, and Viet Nam. We also learn that the evil Stryker (Danny Huston) is building an army of mutants called Team X. But after a particularly gruesome incident in Africa, Jimmy walks out on the group, and ends up as a woodcutter in Canada with a hot schoolteacher girlfriend (Lynn Collins).

After a devastating tragedy, Stryker convinces Jimmy to undergo a procedure that will make him indestructible. It’s an agonizing operation that injects a substance called adamantium into his skeleton. And presto-chango, he’s “Wolverine,” his once bony spikes now shiny, titanium-looking weapons of mass destruction. And Victor comes back into his life, as well.

Here’s the thing about “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”: It’s not a bad movie, and Hugh Jackman and his awesome muscles are not hard to look at. But the writing is cheesy, and they could have done more with the various characters who show up in this movie, including card-shark Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), The Blob (Kevin Durand), John Wraith (Will.i.am), and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). I mean, I get that the movie is called “Wolverine,” but most of these characters are only in the movie for a few minutes, if that.

If you’re a fan of the X-Men characters and movies, you should check this out, especially now that it’s on Blu-ray and DVD.

Note to Parents: There’s lots of action and fighting and explosions, including one awesome scene with an exploding helicopter. Oh, and Hugh Jackman gets naked from a distance in a couple of scenes. But overall, it’s pretty much what you’d expect from a PG-13 movie about a mutant superhero.

Image: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, TM and Copyright 20th Century Fox Film Corp., 2009

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It stars Brendan Gleeson (Prof. Alastor ‘MadEye’ Moody in the ‘Harry Potter’ series) as an Irish property developer of humble origins who has become rich and powerful as a result of the “Celtic Tiger,” a.k.a. Ireland’s economic boom. He’s involved in a scheme to build a national stadium, but a rival developer is planning on thwarting his plans.

Wildly over-extended, Liam finds himself struggling in a receding market, not to mention stressed out to the max. He seems on the verge of a mental breakdown when, to his horror, he sees his Double – yes, someone who looks and acts just like him.

As Liam searches for answers, his neglected wife, Jane (Kim Cattrall), and ignored son Connor (Briain Gleeson), distressed by his erratic behavior, think he’s probably hallucinating. Only Liam’s sister Oona (Sinead Cusack) and childhood friend Andy (Ciaran Hinds), a priest, believe him.

More after the jump, including a trailer…

He ends up confronting his double and discovers a few shocking things about his past. The double ends up luring him out of town and takes over his life. Liam lands in a homeless shelter run by Andy, and the story takes shape as a message about the vast chasm between Ireland’s rich and poor.

Snappy dialogue and gritty scenes of street-fighting and Ireland’s underbelly come together in a movie that keeps you guessing. Even with all the tension, the movie manages to be both light and comically entertaining at times.

If you have a chance to see ‘The Tiger’s Tail,’ it’s definitely worth checking out. It’s rated R for a scene of sexuality, and brief drug content. Here’s the trailer:

Image: Amazon.com

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One of my favorite actors, Patricia Clarkson, plays his wife, and Noah Emmerich plays his long-suffering assistant. Director Gavin O’Connor (‘Tumbleweeds’) and the producers of the similar sports movies ‘Remember the Titans’ and ‘The Rookie’ help bring this story to life.

Aside from a great cast and production team, what I love about ‘Miracle’ is the attention to detail. Not a hairstyle or accessory was missed in capturing the era of 1980. The story was especially needed at that time because the country was in a bit of a depression after the whole Watergate debacle.

Buy ‘Miracle’ on Blu-ray or DVD. Here’s the trailer:

Image: Amazon.com

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The first movie, 2002’s "Ice Age," was definitely the best. The second, 2006’s "Ice Age: The Meltdown," was cute, and this one is cute, too. They just seem to be losing their steam. But the animation continues to be fantastic, with every snowflake and furry animal popping off the screen at you. 

This third movie, released on DVD and Blu-ray Oct. 27, 2009, finds Manny (Ray Romano) and Ellie (Queen Latifah) preparing to have a baby Mammoth. Manny is nesting big-time, creating a beautiful little playground full of ice-figure mobiles, play structures, and teeter-totters.

It leaves Sid (John Leguizamo) wishing for a family of his own, and he gets just that when he stumbles upon a trio of large eggs. He doesn’t realize they’re dinosaur eggs, and their mom wants them back.

More after the jump…

Diego (Denis Leary) has his own issues. With all this family planning going on, he feels like he’s losing his touch in the wild. He can’t even chase after a nimble gazelle without gasping for breath.

When Sid accidentally falls into a strange underground world full of lush tropical foliage and creatures of every shape and size, the rest of the gang heads down to try and rescue him. They get some help from a one-eyed weasel named Buck (Simon Pegg) who’s like an animal version of Crocodile Dundee. 

The journey puts the group in grave danger, especially Ellie, who’s just about ready to have that baby Mammoth.

Of course, we can’t forget Scrat (Chris Wedge), who’s still on the hunt to grab and hold onto that elusive acorn. But that dream is seriously hindered by the appearance of a female sabre-toothed squirrel named Scratte. 

This movie is cute as all get-out, and the storyline moves along fairly well. But there’s not a lot of new ground here (well, aside from the lush new ground beneath the ice floes). If you have kids in the 5- to 8-year-old range who like cute, animated movies, this is a good choice.

NOTE TO PARENTS: The violence is mainly cartoonish, with Scrat’s quest to get the acorn and a few close calls from other characters (a gazelle being chased, but not caught and eaten). Some of the dinosaurs are pretty scary, but for the most part, they don’t inflict any real damage on any characters.  Sexual innuendoes are limited to Scrat and his new love interest, as well as Manny and Ellie acting sweet towards each other. In one scene, Sid tries to milk an animal that turns out to be male, and in another scene, he thinks a baby mammoth is a boy until Diego says, "That’s a tail." Language includes mild insults, usually directed at Sid, as well as "poop" and "barf."

DVD Bonus Features:

• Trailer: Alvin and the Chipmunks:The Squeakquel
• Trailer: Percy Jackson 
• Trailer: Aliens In The Attic
• Trailer: Night At The Museum 2
• Trailer: Glee
• Filmmaker Commentary
• Marley Meets Purina Puppy Chow

Photo Credit: Blue Sky Studios, TM and © Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

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‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’

Really, there’s not much you can do with the romantic comedy formula, so it all comes down to the chemistry of the two leads. Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey have plenty of it.

Ben (McConaughey) makes a bet with his boss that he can get a woman to fall in love with him in ten days to land a valuable advertising campaign. Andie Anderson (Hudson) is the "How To…" columnist for a women’s magazine, Composure. The topic of her next column is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, hence the title of the movie.

But Andie yearns to write more indepth, serious stories, so if she does a good job with this piece, her boss will give her complete freedom to write whatever she wants.

As luck would have it, Ben and Andie see each other at a bar and coincidentally choose each other as their “victims.” The rest is history.

Hudson, as usual, is completely adorable. And McConaughey plays the guy he usually plays in all his movies, but I’m fine with that because I love that sort of roguish character who gets the girl in the end.

Directed by Donald Petrie, ‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ is rated PG-13 for some sex related material. The Deluxe Edition (buy it here) was released Aug. 25, 2009 and includes the following bonus features.

• How to Make a Movie in 2 Years
• Why the Sexes Battle
• Girls Night Out
• Commentary by director Donald Petrie
• Music Video: ‘Somebody Like You’ by Keith Urban
• Deleted Scenes with Director’s Commentary

Image: Amazon.com

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The latest installment of the MST3K library includes four classic B movies with plenty of snark and snuffling from Crow T. Robot, Tom Servo, Gypsy, Joel and Mike. Here’s the rundown:

‘The Crawling Eye’ – We saw this title and collectively decided to watch it as a family last night. It’s a 1958 film originally called ‘The Trollenberg Terror,’ which stars Forrest Tucker. The ‘F Troop’ references were rampant. It follows a weird tentacled alien creature menacing a small town high in the mountains of Switzerland. While the commentary isn’t as hilariously funny as later MST3K installments, there’s a reason for that. This is the very first network episode of MST3K made for the Comedy Channel, so it’s a cool look at the early development of the show. And of course the movie, along with a fat mountain climber, is darn funny.

More after the jump!

‘The Beatniks’ – This one will probably be next on our list to watch. It includes a short called ‘General Hospital, Pt 2,’ and the shorts are truly some of our favorite MST3K installments. Filmed in black and white in 1960, the movie follows a young man’s quest to make it as a recording artist while trying to escape from the grip of his criminally inclined childhood friends. It contains the much loved MST3K catch-phrases “Shut up, Iris, shut up I tell you!” and “I killed that fat barkeep,” along with the song, “Leather Coat.” Anything with beatniks we love; thinking of ‘The Girl in Gold Boots’ off MST3K Vol. 4.

Clip from ‘The Beatniks’:

‘The Final Sacrifice’ – The description calls this the Canadian ‘Manos: Hands of Fate’ – yes! That ranks as one of our favorite MST3K movies. ‘The Final Sacrifice’ is a 78-minute color film made in 1990, with a hero called “Zap Rowsdower.” Oh, and the writer/director’s name is Tjardus Greidanus. I have no idea how to even pronounce that.

Clip from ‘The Final Sacrifice’:

‘Blood Waters of Dr. Z’ – This 1975 horror film is known by many alternate titles, including ‘Zaat’ and ‘Dr. Z.’ It’s directed by Don Barton and stars no one you’ve ever heard of. But there’s a cheap monster and a mad scientist out for revenge against those that scoffed at his ideas. The main character looks like he’s ready for a nap. Or something.

Clip from ‘Blood Waters of Dr. Z’:

Bonus Features:

* The Crawling Eye Special Introduction By Joel Hodgson

* Mystery Science Theater Hours Wraps On The Beatniks

* Brand-New Interview With star of The Final Sacrifice Bruce J. Mitchell

* The Main Event: Crow Vs. Crow At Dragon Con 09

* Blood Waters Of Dr. Z Photo Gallery

* Original Trailers & Promos

* And More!

Image: Amazon.com

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THE MOVIE: The CG-animated movie takes place in a world inhabited entirely by cars. Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is the slick rookie taking the Piston Cup series by storm when the last race of the season ends in a three-way tie.

On the way to the tie-breaker race in California, Lightning loses his way off Route 66 in the Southwest desert and is taught to stop and smell the roses by the forgotten citizens of Radiator Springs – including former big-city lawyer Sally Carrera (Pixar veteran Bonnie Hunt), the town’s patriarch Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and kooky tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy).

THE GIVEAWAY: Ultimate “Cars” Gift Pack, which includes the Blu-ray and DVD editions of the movie, as well as two exclusive cars (Lightning McQueen and Rescue Squad Mater). Tons of bonus features, too.

HOW TO ENTER: Leave a comment on this post by midnight on Feb. 13, 2010, and tell us your favorite PIXAR movie. A winner will be chosen at random and notified by email. Good luck!

Image: Amazon.com

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If you’re not familiar with the film, it follows a mail-order apprentice witch (Angela Lansbury) who finds herself saddled with three sibling refugees from London during World War II. Of course, everything comes down to this group, including headmaster David Tomlinson, basically saving England from the ravages of war.

The quintet comes up against corrupt booksellers, animated-lion royalty, and, eventually, invading Germans.

It’s hard not to compare this movie to director Robert Stevenson’s earlier film “Mary Poppins.” They both feature a magical lady, Tomlinson himself, animated animals, and some fun musical numbers, including Lansbury’s Oscar-nominated "The Age of Not Believing."

Originally released in 1971, “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” has been lovingly restored and remastered, and it’s definitely a good addition to any Disney lover’s film collection.

Buy “Bedknobs & Broomsticks” on DVD.

Bonus Features: 

• The Wizards Of Special Effects – Hosted By Jennifer Stone From Disney’s WIZARDS OF WAVERLY PLACE
• “A Step In The Right Direction” Reconstruction
• Music Magic – The Sherman Brothers
• David Tomlinson Portobello Road Recording Sessions
• Theatrical Trailers

See if this clip, “The Beautiful Briny Sea,” doesn’t put a little joy in your heart:

Image: Amazon.com

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The multi-talented star has a slew of film credits, including “American Son,” which did really well on 2008’s film festival circuit, but never reached a bigger audience.

Cannon stars as 19-year-old Mike Holland, who’s about to be shipped off to Iraq. In fact, he has just four days to say goodbye to everyone who’s important to him, and maybe even start a new relationship on the eve of his deployment.

Here’s the thing. We hear a lot in the news about the war overseas, but it’s films like “American Son” – and Cannon’s heartfelt performance — that really hit home and tell us what it’s like for soldiers to leave everyone and everything they know and go off to a distant place with strange customs and people.

Directed by Neil Abramson, “American Son” also stars Melonie Diaz, Erica Gluck, Tom Sizemore, April Grace and Chi McBride. It’s rated R for pervasive language, some sexual content and drug use.

Buy “American Son” on DVD.

Image: Amazon.com

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