DVD Review: ‘Family Guy – Volume Twelve’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Family Guy – Volume Twelve’ on Blogcritics.

FOX recently released Family Guy Volume Twelve on DVD. Unlike earlier sets, Family Guy is now releasing its episodes by season, though they still bear the volume moniker, probably because the season and volume numbers don’t match up. Volume Twelve has all 22 episodes that aired last year, the show’s 11th season, spread across three discs.

Over the past few seasons, Family Guy has definitely started to show its age, and overall the episodes on this release are certainly of lesser quality than those of its early years. This is actually the first Family Guy release in a long time where I can’t link to specific episodes I previously reviewed. It’s not that the batch is necessarily worse than the last couple; Family Guy has just settled into a very comfortable routine, so it’s rarely necessary to check in with it for review. I would be repeating myself a lot. That being said, the show isn’t completely without life left in it. It’s just not the must-see, oft-discussed program that it used to be.

The episodes are stand-alones, and although the series has always had some serial elements to it, only rare episodes really changing anything for the characters. Some of the inclusions on Volume Twelve include: “Into Fat Air,” in which Peter (Seth MacFarlane) jealously forces the family to compete with Lois’s ex-boyfriend’s clan while climbing Mt. Everest; “Ratings Guy,” a fun lambasting of the Nielsen rating system, on which the longevity of TV shows is (some would argue unfairly) decided; “Yug Ylimaf,” the 200th episode, where Brian (also MacFarlane) tampers with time and Stewie (MacFarlane again) is never born; “The Giggity Wife,” in which Quagmire (um, MacFarlane), the ultimate bachelor, gets married; “Turban Cowboy,” where Peter accidentally becomes a Muslim terrorist, and yes, you read that correctly; and “Roads to Vegas,” in which Stewie and Brian are copied and the two versions have very different vacations in Law Vegas.

“Roads to Vegas” and “Ratings Guy” are my favorite inclusions, for completely different reasons. Family Guy is best when it ventures into satire, and their commentary on the way renewals are decided is way more witty than most of the other installments. “Roads to Vegas” is the latest in a recurring road trip series, a la the old Bob Hope-Bing Crosby films, always much more enjoyable than when the show parodies more modern movies, as it does in a couple of episodes on this set that I didn’t mention above.

It’s interesting that a quick rundown of the episodes I best remember all feature characters MacFarlane voices. One might think, looking at that list, he’s the only actor in the show. There are actually a number of other very talented performers in Family Guy including Alex Borstein, Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Patrick Warburton, and Mike Henry. This season, more than most, made Peter, Brian, and Stewie the center of it all, though. They are popular and reliable characters, but it would be nice to see the others get some more screen time.

There are decent extras included on Volume Twelve. “200 Episodes Later” is the special that aired in conjunction with the 200th episode. There’s also a table read from that installment, as well a portion of the show’s 2012 Comic-Con panel, always enjoyable. Deleted scenes, animatics, and audio commentaries are present for select episodes.

At the end of the day, Family Guy Volume Twelve is a very average release of what has become a very average show. But if you need some mindless laughs, Family Guy still delivers those pretty consistently, like The Simpsons, so it’s reliable for that. If you’re someone that only picks up an occasional Family Guy DVD, this one might not be at the top of the list of those recommended, but if you’re a completionist or an irregular viewer who’d like to catch a few fresh entries, then Volume Twelve should satisfy.

Family Guy Volume Twelve is available now.

DVD Review: ‘Family Guy – Volume Eleven’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Family Guy – Volume Eleven’ on Blogcritics.

Ever since its third release, the first after the reboot, Family Guy has shied away from releasing complete seasons, always giving batches of episodes instead, frequently with less than a year’s worth at a time. That changes with the latest DVD, Volume Eleven, which is actually the complete 10th season. These installments aired from September 2011 through May 2012, so it’s not the most recent season that passed, but the one before it, with 23 episodes on three discs.

Now, overall, the quality of Family Guy has declined over the seasons. However, there are a handful of installments in Volume Eleven that really stand out as memorable. Among the highlights of this disc:

• “Lottery Fever” – Peter (Seth MacFarlane) buys over 200,000 lottery tickets, winning a jackpot. Of course, he gets too big for his britches, in a homage to many a classic tale, and there are wonderful bits like a signed-song and Peter making his brood check fake tickets.
• “Seahorse Seashell Party” – The middle of a three-part Animation Domination crossover, in which a hurricane threatens the trio of FOX animated comedies created by MacFarlane, all airing on the same night. Meg (Mila Kunis) finally stands up for herself, but the family can’t survive without a scapegoat, and thus she throws off the dynamics of the show. Temporarily, obviously.
• “Thanksgiving” – Kevin Swanson (Scott Grimes), who was presumed dead by his family and friends, returns home from Iraq.
• “Meg and Quagmire” – Meg turns eighteen and Quagmire (MacFarlane) sees an opportunity. This sends Peter through the roof. As lecherous as Quagmire is, this episode is the one where Peter and Lois (Alex Borstein) finally pay attention to, and look out for, their daughter.
• “Tom Tucker: A Man and His Dream” – Peter becomes Tom Tucker’s (MacFarlane again) agent, and the two go to Hollywood. There’s a great callback when they learn James Woods (himself) is somehow still alive, but even better is the subplot in which Chris (Seth Green) begins dating a girl (Juno‘s Ellen Page) who looks like his mother.
• “Leggo My Meg-O” – A parody of Taken, with Brian and Stewie heading to Europe to rescue a kidnapped Meg.
• “Tea Peter” – Peter joins the Tea Party, they successfully shut down the local government and all hell breaks loose. Current Congressman and women: pay attention!
• “Internal Affairs” – Peter has another epic fight with the giant chicken. Plus, Joe (Patrick Warburton) considers a one-night stand with a co-worker (Anna Kendrick, Pitch Perfect) to get even with his wife for her own infidelity.
• (the best of the set) “Back to the Pilot” – Stewie (MacFarlane) takes Brian (also MacFarlane) back in time to find his lost tennis ball, and they relive the events of the first episode of the series, complete with inferior animation, a different actress voicing Meg (Lacey Chabert), and altered character personalities. However, Brian, in his arrogance, can’t resist preventing 9/11, which means that when they return to the future, America has changed and is in the midst of a Civil War. Hilarity ensues as they attempt to fix everything that is wrong and just keep making things worse. Awesome for being a tribute to the show’s origins, and a fun time-travel twist, as well as yet another journey for the series’ best couple.

And there are 14 additional episodes, mostly typical, stand-alone comedic entries with a few good jokes, but not being particularly memorable even only a couple of years after they air. Is it time for Family Guy to retire? Probably. Though, I’m glad to have the installments mentioned above, some of which will definitely make the short list of must-see episodes.

As far a special features go, there are audio commentaries on some of the half-hours, as well as select scene animatics and deleted scenes. The episodes are “uncensored,” but that doesn’t make a big difference. Some outtakes with Ricky Gervais from his guest role are amusing, and Ron MacFarlane reads some viewer mail. My favorite inclusion is “Looking Back to the Pilot,” something that seems appropriate to do ten years in, especially with the tribute episode included in this set.

Overall, I would rank Volume Eleven as better than the Volume Ten release (and Nine and Eight…), though not as good as some of the earlier ones. If you’re a Family Guy fan who doesn’t regularly watch anymore, this might be a good set to catch up casually with a taste of what it’s being made now.

Family Guy: Volume Eleven is available now.

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL Is Good and Visually Powerful

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: "Oz The Great and Powerful" on Blogcritics.org.

It is extremely hard to bring the land of Oz to life, as Disney can attest, given the numerous unsuccessful attempts over the years the company has made to bring the specific, magical world to the screen. Some projects have gotten farther than others, but I think most will agree that the best effort by Disney yet is the film Oz The Great and Powerful, recently released on Blu-ray and DVD.

I’m not sure why Oz proves to be so challenging. It is a place with wickedness, but it’s also a place of wonderment and surprise. Fans of the book series know that even the characters who live their whole life in the realm can find something they’ve never heard of before around every corner. There’s a childlike wonderment inherent, and death is not something oft felt, as even those cut into tiny pieces survive.

Oz The Great and Powerful attempts to capture that tone in a variety of ways. The inhabitants in Oz are forbidden to kill. Kidnapping or chasing others away is more the norm, and even then, we don’t see anyone seriously hurt. The music is whimsical; the effects make the world seem just a little outside of reality, and the characters in this film are colorful, both literally and figuratively.

While Oz The Great and Powerful is not a good adaptation of the books, neither is the beloved MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, so that’s not the sole basis on which the movie should be judged. As much as I want to see a true version done that actually uses L. Frank Baum’s stories, and that has not been accomplished yet (to my knowledge). However, it is possible to create a enjoyable film without sticking to the source material.

This movie is fun, and does provide some nostalgia for fans of the original movie. The black and white beginning and reusing actors in both Kansas and Oz are both reminiscent of the 1939 classic Oz, and there are scarecrows, and flying monkeys, and munchkins that sing. Michelle Williams does a fantastic job as Glinda, not copying her predecessor, but catching just the right feeling for the role, something incredibly hard to do with such a strange, yet familiar, figure. And the China village, while sad not to see more of it or its people, is a nice addition.

There are a couple of issues I have with Oz The Great and Powerful. James Franco at times plays the Wizard too over-the-top, although there are glimpses of greatness in some of the smaller moments. It goes a little too dark, and some of the characters, Knuck (Tony Cox), in particular, are a little too abrasive to be from Oz. Dark characters are a hallmark of modern filmmaking, but they don’t really belong in this realm. Also, the pacing is a little too fast in Theodora’s (Mila Kunis) transformation, and we never return to Kansas, thereby wasting the double-casting device.

Most significantly, I think was a poor choice to make the Wizard as heroic as he is portrayed in the movie. We know that “after the credits roll” he sends a little girl to face the evil witch, but that action doesn’t jibe with how he’s written for this Oz. Oz The Great and Powerful stands OK on its own, but when considering it as a prequel, it really doesn’t work.

Despite this, overall I liked it, especially once the wizard meets Glinda. The story is a bit predictable at times, but then it also goes in unexpected directions in other places. The clash of our world and the fantasy world is very well done, and the score is sweeping in just the right way. Most of the performances are at least serviceable, in particular Williams and Rachel Weisz, who are far better than the rest, and the effects are very well mixed with the physical sets and actors. I would give it a solid B-.

The computer imaging in Oz The Great and Powerful is amazing! I was disappointed not to be able to obtain a 3D copy of the film, but after watching, it strikes me that it may not be necessary. The landscapes and opening credits, especially, already feel like 3D because they are so rich and layered. Somehow, the effect is created to some extent without glasses, though now I wonder how awesome a true 3D version is.

Picture and sound are flawless. I detected no errors or popping or static of any kind, and was extremely impressed with the visual and auditory presentation. Blacks are deep, and the vibrant colors really come through. I’d go so far to say this was probably the best looking non-3D film I’ve watched on Blu-ray. Clearly, more effort was put into the look than the writing or casting itself, and I found myself forgiving some story missteps because it all looked so good. Plus, aided by Danny Elfman’s very appropriate music, which, delivered crispy, enhanced every scene, never taking away from dialogue or action, it soared in this arena.

I also enjoyed the special features. One tells the story of Walt Disney himself trying to get Oz to screens big and small. Others go into Kunis’ transformation, Elfman’s composition, filming techniques with the China Girl (Joey King) and Finley (Zach Braff), and the production design. Each of these were entertaining, informative, and brief, which is probably a good decision for a Disney release. I only wish there had been more featurettes.

There is also a “second screen experience,” but unfortunately this only works for iPads, and since I don’t own one, I can’t report on it. I think this will disappoint some who may own other devices, and wish this additional feature was more universal.

Included in the Blu-ray / DVD / Digital combo pack is a “free” ticket to The Lone Ranger. Unfortunately, this voucher only covers up to $8 for the ticket price, and the theaters in my area (and probably most others) charge more than that, even for a matinee. The ticket expires less than three weeks after release, so you can’t wait until it makes it to the cheaper theaters. So while it’s a nice coupon, the “free” tag is misleading and somewhat inaccurate.

I recommend Oz The Great and Powerful, despite my complaints, because the movie is a visual masterpiece. Keep your expectations in check, and you may be pleasantly surprised by a pleasing movie and some awesome effects. Oz The Great and Powerful is available online and in stores now.

Family Guy back for another bout with Volume Ten

Volume Ten of FOX's Family Guy has now been released on DVD. The three-disc set picks up from where Volume 9 left off. The 14 installments begin with the fourth episode of season nine, which aired during the 2010-2011 season, and end just before the season nine finale, which happens to be the show's third Star Wars parody, already available on a separate DVD release.

Family Guy's quality has been going down for a couple of years now, so fans might find Volume Ten a bit inferior to other sets. Overall, it just doesn't feel as fresh or original anymore, and other series have taken the edgy humor, a hallmark of early Family Guy, further than this show can on a network station. But it still is pretty entertaining, and this DVD contains a number of enjoyable episodes. Among the highlights:

• "Halloween on Spooner Street" Peter (Seth MacFarlane) and Joe (Patrick Warburton) plays trick on the neighbors. Needless to say, it does not go well.
• "Brian Writes a Bestseller" Brian (also MacFarlane) writes a book that winds up on the bestseller list. This goes to his head, until Bill Maher (himself) lies the smack down. Back in Quahog, Lois (Alex Borstein) banishes Peter to a separate bed. Unable to sleep alone, Peter looks for a new buddy to cuddle with at night.
• "Road to the North Pole" The latest of the periodic Bing Crosby-Bob Hope tribute episodes, Brian and Stewie (also MacFarlane) travel to the North Pole so that Stewie can teach the infamous fat man a lesson.
• "Friends of Peter G." Peter and Brian are sentenced to join Alcoholics Anonymous, which they manages to turn into a big, drunken party. After Joe busts the celebration, Peter turns against booze in a big, long musical number.
• "The Hand that Rocks the Wheelchair" Meg (Mila Kunis) falls for Joe when taking care of him while his wife, Bonnie (Jennifer Tilly), is out of town. Stewie creates a clone that escapes and wrecks havoc.
• "Brothers & Sisters" Lois's sister, Carol (Julie Hagerty, Airplane!), comes to town and falls for Mayor West (Adam West).
• "The Big Bang Theory" Betram (Wallace Shawn) returns and leads Stewie and Brian on a chase through time, as Betram plans on murdering Leonardo da Vinci. The cover art for Volume Ten comes from this episode.

Now, those are all pretty decent episodes, but none of them stand out as making a Top Episodes of Family Guy list. Rather than breaking new ground, they parody familiar sitcom concepts and revisit already established Family Guy formulas. Are they worth a half hour of your time? Sure. But would you cancel your plans to make a viewing appointment? Nope.

The nice part about Volume Ten is that it contains enough extras to satisfy fans, making up somewhat for the lackluster installments. Many of the episodes are extended and uncensored, providing a bit more than what airs on television. Six of the fourteen episodes have audio commentary. There are deleted scenes, and the "German Guy" fight sequence gets a featurette. Three scene animatics break down interesting sequences in the show. The music of "Road to the North Pole" is singled out. Finally, footage from Adam West's star ceremony is included.

Would I recommend this DVD set? Well, for fans of Family Guy who can't get enough, or those who are completionists in collecting all of the DVDs in the set, absolutely. But if you're looking for a handful of episodes to play at parties or while hanging out with your friends, I'd recommend selecting an earlier volume.

Family Guy Volume Ten is available now on DVD.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: Family Guy Volume Ten on Blogcritics.

Family Guy presents "Episode VI: It's a Trap"

     FOX's Family Guy parodies Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, so it is inevitable that a version of Return of the Jedi follows. Last night's ninth season finale brings "Episode VI: It's a Trap," the awaited Jedi knockoff, which is actually already out on DVD, and has been since December. If you've seen the original movie, the plot is familiar, if condensed to around forty-four minutes. Luke / Chris (Seth Green) rescues Leia / Lois (Alex Borstein) and Han / Peter (Seth MacFarlane) from Jabba the Hut / Joe (Patrick Warburton). From there, they travel to a planet near the still-under-construction new Death Star. Luke visits his father, Darth Vader / Stewie (MacFarlane), on the thing, and together they defeat the Emperor / Carter (MacFarlane). On the planet below, Han, Leia, Chewbacca / Brian (MacFarlane), and the other rebels take out a shield, so that Lando / Mort (John G. Brennan) can destroy the Death Star. The rebels party with the Ewoks.
 
     While the basic plot does follow the George Lucas movie, what makes Family Guy's version different, besides casting familiar characters in the roles, is all of the jokes sandwiched in. For instance, The Emperor and Darth Vader bait Luke by commenting how Seth Green is a terrible actor. For viewers in on the joke that Green voices Chris, it is highly amusing to watch the tension build in Luke / Chris until he erupts. To be fair, after the Jedi parody is complete, the Griffins do have a debate as to whether Seth Green or Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane is a bigger douche. For fans of meta humor, this conversation may be the funniest thing in the entire hour.

     Another memorable joke in this episode is a live action sock puppet standing in for the additional creatures added to Jabba's palace in the special edition of the movie. The Rancor that Luke fights in Jabba's pit is replaced with conservative talk radio pundit Rush Limbaugh. Meg (Mila Kunis), who is often teased as the most ugly, disliked character on the show, is the Sarlacc monster. Above the Sarlacc pit, there is an extended sequence of characters glancing at each other. On Endor, the stormtroopers use actual bicycles, which upsets Pee Wee Herman when his is stolen.

     Apparently Family Guy, despite its extensive cast, has run out of characters to stand in for the Star Wars people, as MacFarlane draws upon his other TV shows in this special. Both Klaus (Dee Bradley Baker) and Roger (MacFarlane) from American Dad! are cast as Admiral Akbar and a Death Star officer, respectively, while Tim the Bear (MacFarlane) from The Cleveland Show is, appropriately, an Ewok, and Rallo (Mike Henry) is Wedge Antilles. It is lucky for MacFarlane that he has other TV shows to draw from, since the Star Wars franchise has so many characters.

     At the very end of this episode, the characters avow that they will not be doing the prequel Star Wars films, and Peter says that he thinks The Cleveland Show will be handling them. Is this a joke, or true? Three major characters from The Cleveland Show already appear in the Family Guy Star Wars parodies, but might they be recast for another trilogy of special episodes? It is hard to imagine how the spinoff cast would be appropriate for such a series, but MacFarlane may be daring enough to give it a try. Or it could just be an offhand comment, a slight insult to a sister series.

     "Episode VI: It's a Trap" lives up to the previous two installments. Whether MacFarlane does any more Star Wars parodies or not, he has finished a great feat with humor and excitement. Fans of both Family Guy and Star Wars should be left satisfied.

     Family Guy has been picked up for a tenth season, and will return to FOX next fall.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.

     Please click here to buy streaming episodes, DVDs, and other merchandise from Family Guy.

Article first published as TV Review: Family Guy - "Episode VI: It's a Trap" on Blogcritics.

Family Guy "And Then There Were Fewer"

     FOX's Family Guy began their fall season last week with a one hour special episode, "And Then There Were Fewer".  Spoofing a number of old movies, the traditional theme song was ditched in favor of more mood appropriate music as the Griffin family traveled in their car over many miles up to an old mansion, where they had been invitied to a dinner in their honor.  Turns out, many of the neighbors received the same invitation, and so there is quite a crowd at the destination.  They soon learn they have been invited by nemesis to all, James Woods (voiced by James Woods, Shark), who has become a born-again Christian, and wants to make amends with the citizens of Quahog.  Then he (and others) are murdered, and the race is on to find the killer before everyone dies.

     This episode brought back a number of familiar faces, pitting a bunch of the beloved characters against each other in an interesting setting.  The entire Griffin family was there: father Peter (creator of the show, Seth MacFarlane), his wife Lois (Alex Borstein, MADtv), son Chris (Seth Green, Robot Chicken, Austin Powers), daughter Meg (Mila Kunis, That '70s Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), infant-evil genius Stewie (MacFarlane), and dog Brian (MacFarlane).  Quagmire (MacFarlane) brought his overweight, annoying 'girlfriend' that he had been hiding from everyone.  Brian's ex, Jillian (Drew Barrymore) brought along her new beau, Derek (John Viener).  Joe (Patrick Warburton, Seinfeld, Rules of Engagement) and Bonnie (Jennifer Tilly) came, along with newscasters Tom Tucker (MacFarlane) and Diane Simmons (Lori Alan, Southland).  Suspected ephebophile, Herbert (the title character in The Cleveland Show, Mike Henry), the Griffin's former maid, Consuela (also Henry), Dr. Hartman (MacFarlane), the pirate with four wooden limbs, Seamus (MacFarlane), Carl (H. John Benjamin, Archer) and Jewish couple Mort (John G. Brennan) and Muriel Goldman (Nicole Sullivan, $#*! My Dad Says, Rita Rocks, MADtv) were also in attendance, as was Mayor Adam West (Batman's Adam West).  It provided some zany humor, and each member of this large cast got in a few jokes.

     I always enjoy when Family Guy does something different, and this episode was no exception.  Not only was it funny, but it didn't venture too far into the crass, or do too many pop culture side-scenes, as the series is sometimes want to do.  It was intelligently written.  I, for one, did not know who the actual murderer was until the end, though I quickly guessed correctly who took down the killer.  It was an example of what FG can be when it's not trying to be everything people expect it to be.  So, a great, classic episode for MacFarlen and company.

     What I wonder is, will the developments shown in this episode by permanent?  Family Guy has allowed change before, such as when Cleveland Brown (Henry) got divorced, and then awhile later, moved away for his spinoff.  Brian dated Jillian for a large part of the season, and when she returns, they still reference that old relationship.  This episode allowed the deaths of James Woods, Muriel Goldman, and Diane Simmons, as well as a couple just-introduced characters.  Does that mean Tom Tucker will have a new co-anchor whenever they show the news clips?  Is Mort now a widower?  I hope that they do go down that path, rather than reverting to everything back to normal next week.  If Diane shows up again, without some elaborate explanation, it will definitely cheapen this hour of television for me.

     Family Guy continues it's 9th season tonight at 9pm on FOX.