Why So Blu?

Scared Shrekless and Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space Halloween Party Pack (DVD Review)

Prepare for out-of-this-world fun with the DVD premiere of two spooky adventures from DreamWorks Animation with  Scared Shrekless and Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space, arriving in time for Halloween in a thrill-filled Double DVD Pack. The perfect centerpiece for family Halloween party fun, the Double DVD Pack includes not only the two delightfully creepy main attractions, but also “Thriller”, an all-new Shrek-ed out parody of Michael Jackson’s epic music video “Thriller.”  Dance along with your favorite Shrek characters as they get funky—and freaky—in the sensational new video.  The Halloween Party Double DVD Pack also includes loads of other musical fun, video and more, making it an ideal choice for families to come together and enjoy Halloween.

Film

 

Scared Shrekless

Scared Shrekless begins with a preview for the new Puss in Boots movie and I am a little ashamed that I want to see it, I’m glad I have a three year old to take with me so I’m not the only adult sitting in a kid’s movie.  I sit through a lot of shows that my son thoroughly enjoys but I find downright painful to watch (I’m talking to you “Yo Gabba Gabba”) but Shrek is one of the ones we all like to watch and I’m always glad when he chooses it.

Shrek has challenged his friends to spend the night telling scary stories in the deserted Castle Dulac because Shrek says ogres don’t get scared.  Gingerbread man recounts the tale of his possessive and ultimately suicidal/homicidal gingerbread woman that he creates with the Muffin Man.  Donkey and Puss tell the story of the night they stayed at the Boots Motel (a fairytale version of the Bates Motel) with dangers including a giant donkey eating waffle.  Shrek’s story is “The Shrek Sorcist” – the story of the time Shrek was called to babysit a creepy possessed Pinocchio.

Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space

Susan, B.O.B., The Missing Link, and Dr. Cockroach, Ph.D., must save Modesto, California from Mutant Pumpkins trying to ruin Halloween.  It seems that some aliens decided to swing by Earth to drop off some of their toxic waste which ends up animating pumpkins who turn evil and seek out candy.  The situation in Modesto gives Susan the chance to visit with her parents, who are very much into the Halloween spirit and don’t realize that she is there because of another alien crisis.

Susan isn’t alone however, as the rest of her team has come to fight by her side. The Missing Link can’t wait to go scare people since he’s been dreaming of doing that for the fifty years he was locked up. Dr. Cockroach reveals he once loved Halloween and especially swirly pops but because of being bullied as a young cockroach, no longer wants anything to do with the holiday.  The gelatinous B.O.B. never got a chance to trick or treat but he’s very enthusiatic about candy.  Pretty soon, it will be monsters vs. aliens again as Susan and her friends fight to save Halloween!

Both cartoons are well done and entertaining and my son and I really enjoyed watching them.  I wasn’t too surprised that he like the Shrek one since he loves the movies but I was surprised at how much he liked the Monsters vs. Aliens one.  It’s been a long time since we watched the Monsters vs. Aliens movie and at the time he was less interested in that than I had expected but times have changed since he really loved this Monster vs. Aliens Halloween short.  Both of these cartoons are really short since they are about twenty-two minutes each but they are still fun to watch.

Video

Both movies are presented in widescreen 16×9 ratio.  Although this is only DVD and not Blu ray, I was impressed with the video quality throughout.  There was a distinct lack of the usual noise I find with most DVDs.  The green of Shrek, the blue of B.O.B. and all the colors were rich and dynamic.  Black levels were solid and there’s a good amount of detail present.

Audio

Both movies are presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 sound.  Dialogue was clear and consistent and volume did not need to be adjusted.  Monsters vs. Aliens Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space had more screaming monsters but Shrek had the spooky sounds, especially in the thriller video.  Both movies sound was adequate with nothing spectacular to brag about.

Special Features

With the exception of the Thriller parody, I’m not sure if these features are available on the original releases of Shrek and Monsters vs. Aliens, but either way that’s fine with me.  For the short running time, I’m pleasantly surprised to see any special features.

Scared Shrekless

• Thriller – A Shrek-ed Out Parody of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.  I love that Prince Charming does his signature hair flip when crawling out of a grave.  Who knew donkey could thriller dance!
• Puss In Boots “These Boots Are Made For Walking” – Music video with footage of Antonio Banderas in the recording studio.  When I see Antonio Banderas in the studio singing…it kind of ruins it for me.  I like to think of Puss at the furry little kitty, not the furry Spanish guy.

Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space

• Karaoke Music Party – Sing along with Ginormica as she sings “I Will Survive”, see B.O.B’s Karaoke music video for “More than a Woman”, Dr. Cockroach Ph.D. & The Missing Link sing “Born to Be Wild”.  Cute videos but I don’t know what kids would know these tunes.
• Modern Monster Movie-Making – A featurette featuring Jeffrey Katzenberg, director Rob Letterman, director, Conrad Vernon and others discussing making Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D, the Cast, Classic Monsters in a Modern World, Capturing San Francisco, and Real Life Ginormica. Includes cast interviews.

Plus:

• Previews – Previews for Puss in Boots and Kung Fu Panda 2.
• World of DreamWorks Animation – Music Videos, Previews, and Internet features for DreamWorks major titles – Shrek, How to Train your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda, Madagascar and Megamind.

Final Thoughts

Vampire Puss in Boots is the cutest thing ever.  One of my favorite parts of Shrek was the weirdo welcoming information signing wooden dolls, and I love that there was an equally weird song in Scared Shrekless.  One of the things I love so much about the Shrek movies is that they pay attention to detail and add a lot of small but important things that the kids would probably glance over but parents appreciate for a laugh.  The Shrek Sorcist tale was a little bit much if you ask me.  It could actually creep out a little kid making them thing their toys are possessed and could climb on the ceiling.  That one made me look and see what this set is rated and it turns out, it’s not rated.  For my three year old, he would gloss over anything like that but if he were four or five, he might just think it through and get a little scared.  Parents might want to watch this first and decide if it’s appropriate based on the personality of their child.

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