Bedtime Stories DVD Review

BEDTIME STORIES

http://adisney.go.com/disneyvideos/liveaction/

bedtimestories/

On Blu-Ray: April 5th, 2009,

On DVD: April 7th, 2009

Bedtime Stories opened in theatres on: December 25th, 2008

Rated PG for some mild rude humor and mild language

Canada Rated: G

Running time: 99 minutes

Adam Shankman (dir.)

Adam Sandler as Skeeter Bronson

Keri Russell as Jill

Guy Pearce as Kendall

Russell Brand as Mickey

Richard Griffiths as Barry Nottingham

Courtney Cox as Wendy

Jonathon Morgan Heit as Patrick

Laura Ann Kesling as Bobbi

Both the 3-Disc Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack and 2-Disc Deluxe Edition DVD of Bedtime Stories include these bonus features:

• Until Gravity Do Us Part - A behind-the-scenes look at the film’s mindboggling special effects

• It’s Bugsy – A close up look at the breakout star of Bedtimes Stories, Bugsy the big-eyed guinea pig

• To All The Little People

• Hilarious Bloopers and Deleted Scenes

• DisneyFile Digital Copy

The 2-Disc Deluxe Edition DVD set also comes with the featurette “Dylan & Cole Sprouse: Blu-ray is Suite.”

Left to right: Jonathan Heit, Laura Ann Kesling, and Adam Sandler in an IKEA and Apple filled room in "BEDTIME STORIES." ©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Our reviews below:

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Bedtime Stories DVD Review By John C.

*** (out of 4)

Bedtime Stories is a sweet and funny family comedy from Walt Disney Studios and the same director, Adam Shankman, that brought us Hairspray. It follows the story of Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) a hotel handyman who has to watch his niece and nephew, Bobbi and Patrick (Laura Ann Kesling and Jonathon Morgan Heit), while their mother (Courtney Cox) goes away for a week. He only has the night shift, their mother’s friend, Jill (Keri Russell), watches them during the day. So Skeeter is in charge of getting them to bed, which means he has to tell them a bedtime story. When things that happen in the stories he tells them start to happen in real life, he decides to take advantage of it and tell stories where he is the hero. The film is surprisingly sweet and charming, great fun for kids, but also a lot of fun for adults. It was funnier and nicer then I thought it would be, offering a positive message about using your imagination. All in all, this would make a great family Easter present. I was actually surprised by how much I enjoyed this film.

The DVD includes a featurette on the special effects, a featurette on Bugsy, the bug-eyed guinea pig and one titled “To All The Little People”. It also has bloopers and deleted scenes. The three-disc Blu-Ray and DVD combo pack and the two-disc DVD set both include a digital copy. The three-disc combo pack is most worth the value for it’s parts. Due to the way it is advertised there may be some confusion as to what it actually includes, but to clear it up, it basically includes three copies of the film, a Blu-Ray, a DVD and a Digital Copy. Both the Blu and the DVD include special features.

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Bedtime Stories DVD Review By Erin V.

*** (out of 4)

Bedtime Stories is the tale of a man named Skeeter Bronson, (Adam Sandler), who has to baby sit his niece, Bobbi, (Laura Ann Kesling), and nephew, Patrick, (Jonathon Morgan Heit), on the overnight shift for a week, while his sister, Wendy, (Courtney Cox), has an out of town job interview. Her friend Jill, (Keri Russell), will be taking the day shift.

When Skeeter was a kid, he had a great imagination, and his father used to always tell him amazing bedtime stories. When he starts his own stories to his niece and nephew, the parts that the kids’ imagination adds in, soon starts to happen the next day in real life. He is trying to compete for a job as the manager of a new hotel that is going to be built, and at first he wants to take advantage of the stories. Unfortunately for him, he soon realizes he can’t control what the kids want the stories to be about enough for him to take advantage of this new found power...

There is much more to the story than just that basic premise, and I was surprised how good this movie was. I was figuring it would be maybe 2 to 2 1/2 stars. It is actually quite well made and the story is put together in such a way that everything ties together by the end, and both children and adults will enjoy watching this film to it’s conclusion. While it is silly at times, Bedtime Stories is a movie that will be one that the whole family can watch and enjoy. If you’re looking for this kind of movie, then you will probably want to get a copy of Bedtime Stories. Both the DVD and BluRay editions come with a fair amount of special features which are listed above these reviews.

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Bedtime Stories DVD Review By Nicole

***1/4 (out of 4)

When I first heard of the movie Bedtime Stories, I thought it would be something strictly for young children. However I was pleasantly surprised when I finally saw the movie on the small screen.

The story is about Skeeter Bronson, a handyman who works at a hotel previously owned by his father. When Skeeter’s sister , Wendy goes away for a week, Skeeter is called on to babysit his niece and nephew. Every night he tells them bedtime stories that parallel his own life. However when the kids add something to the story, it has an uncanny way of becoming true.

What I found worked about this concept is that the additions to the stories do not become reality in a literal sense, but rather in more of a symbolic sense. This movie while completely innocent, is not simply another cute kids’ film.

The story lines about the hotel, and the local school. as well as Skeeter’s own life, tie together brilliantly with the bedtime stories. The characters are funny, the acting is good, and the score by Rupert Gregson-Williams (Over the Hedge) really moves the film along.

The DVD/Blu- Ray combo pack has a lot of bonus features, including bloopers, and deleted scenes, a behind the scenes featurette, and a featurette about Bugsy the guinea pig. Bedtime Stories is a clean, fun movie that the whole family will enjoy. This is a film you will want to own.

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Bedtime Stories DVD Review By Maureen

*** (out of 4)

I’m usually not an Adam Sandler fan, but he won me over in this charming modern-day fairy tale for the whole family.

Skeeter Bronson (Adam Sandler) is the handyman at the hotel his father used to own. He is an ordinary guy with big dreams. When his sister Wendy (Courtney Cox) has to go away for job interviews she asks Uncle Skeeter to come and stay with the two kids. The highlight of their time together is at bedtime when Uncle Skeeter makes up bedtime stories. His niece and nephew add their own ideas to the stories and magic happens,adventures come to life and new realities are created.

This movie could have been over the top silly, but it isn’t. Even Bugsy the odd-looking guinea pig makes sense here. There is enough adventure and suspense to keep even the grown-ups interested. I liked how everything came together and worked out in the end. Even a modern day fairy tale needs its happily ever after.

This really is one movie the whole family can enjoy together. It’s got a good story, good special effects, lots of adventure, humour, and a wholesomeness that feels right. Treat the family to your own copy of Bedtime Stories. The DVD/Blu-Ray combo is a good choice for those families in the process of changing formats. There are lots of extras to enjoy along with the main feature. Have fun!

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Bedtime Stories DVD Review By Tony

*** (out of 4)

Adam Sandler plays hotel handyman Skeeter Bronson, whose sister Wendy (Courteney Cox) runs a school that is about to close. Having provided a lifetime of faithful service to the old hotel, Skeeter is hoping to manage a new hotel but he is up against Kendall (Guy Pearce) who is dating the daughter (Teresa Palmer) of the boss (Richard Griffiths). Seeking a job out of town, Wendy asks her colleague Jill (Keri Russell) to watch her kids for several days, while Skeeter takes over at night. His bedtime stories to his neice and nephew come true in unexpected ways, since the four story sequences, in which the principal characters have corresponding roles in medieval, western, ancient Greece and outer space scenes, very cleverly parallel the main story. For example, in the outer space sequence, Skeeter’s alien language is translated by British sidekick Mickey (Russell Brand) as a C-3PO lookalike. The next day Mickey indeed has to interpret for Skeeter when a bee sting prevents him from speaking clearly.

With a tightly written script and good cast, Bedtime Stories is surprisingly good, much better than expected from the trailer for this Disney action comedy. The huge budget shows in the elaborate story sequences, and the film is supported by a fine score from Rupert Gregson-Williams. The were just a few irritations, coming perhaps from the Happy Madison side of the creative team, including a stereotypical native/thief played by Rob Schneider (uncredited) and a bug-eyed guinea pig that served no useful purpose, being more creepy than cute.

The DVD has all the expected features, and will get good use from repeated showings.

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Consensus: A lot of fun, not just for kids, but for adults as well. Something the whole family can enjoy, this would make a great gift. *** (Out of 4)