Video Reviews: 'The Grinch,' 'Apes'

"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (PG)

While it's Anthony Hopkins who richly takes over the narrator's reins from Boris Karloff in this first big-screen adaptation of a Dr. Seuss animated classic, it's Jim Carrey's creature with a small heart who steals Christmas from Whoville -- and effectively steals "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

Thanks to makeup maestro Rick Baker (who won an Oscar for the film), Carrey's face (which you swear is made of rubber in the first place) is a perfect match for the jaw-dropping expressions of the Grinch, and his boundless energy makes the film a great early holiday present. The kids might be frightened at the outset by the Grinch's doglike jowls, but the goofiness of the character will quickly turn the fear into laughter.

Carrey aside, this fantasy world of director Ron Howard harkens back to the golden age of Hollywood, where entire films were made larger than life on soundstages.

And while no script can truly match the original Seuss storyline, Howard effectively expands the half-hour cartoon to full-blown feature by looking back at the Grinch's beginnings as a prequel of sorts (think Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader) before telling the classic tale that we all know and love.

DVD Features: Deleted scenes, outtakes, Whoville section (includes Who School, Jim Carrey makeup application, set decorations visual effects), Faith Hill music video, sing-along songs and read-along songs.

'Planet of the Apes' (PG-13)

Apart from lavish set design and another case of spectacular makeup by Baker, this Tim Burton "re-imagining" of "Planet of the Apes" -- a movie based on the Pierre Boulle novel that inspired a series of five films from 1968-73 -- would have been better left caged.

Although the plot is decidedly different from the 1968 "Apes," Mark Wahlberg assumes the role of an astronaut much similar to one Charlton Heston originated. Wahlberg stars as Leo Davidson, a dedicated space soldier who braves an electromagnetic storm to save a chimpanzee astronaut who loses control of his spacecraft.

But by entering the storm, Davidson is spun into a time warp, eventually crash-landing on a planet ruled by an evolved form of apes. Like the original film, the few humans on the planet live a primitive existence and are hunted down for slavery purposes.

Having the power of future technology behind him, Davidson soon enough discovers that he must unite his fellow humans to fight the apes and their tyrannical leader, Gen. Thade (Tim Roth) to take back the planet. He finds compassion in the quest through a female ape inhabitant, Ari (Helena Bonham Carter), who believes that apes and humans can live in harmony.

There's no question Burton changed the tone of the original films with this modern version of the story. The apes are much more menacing and quicker and their mannerisms are appropriately more "ape" like - but essentially, this new "Apes" turns out to be just another action movie.

Granted, it's hard to make any sort of a film with an action formula with any spark of originality these days, but it's especially disheartening when you realize a true visionary like Burton -- who blessed us with the amazing "Edward Scissorhands," "Sleepy Hollow" and first big-screen version of "Batman" -- had very little influence. This genre needed a serious kick in the pants, but it simply doesn't get it. And for reasons maybe beyond his control, "Planet" lacks his magic.

DVD Features: The two-disc set includes commentary by Burton and composer Danny Elfman, enhanced viewing mode offers picture-in-picture vignettes on various filmmaking topics, plus access to additional materials such as visual effects analysis, six "making-of" documentaries, five extended scenes, an HBO making-of special and Paul Oakenfold music video ("Rule the Planet Remix"). Also new on DVD, the complete "Planet of the Apes" television series.