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DVDs & Videos

By David DicksteinPublished: January, 2005

For ages 3-6
Berenstain Bears: Bears Mind their Manners
Sony; 82 minutes; $15 (DVD), $10 (VHS)
Available Jan. 4

If you don’t hear “thank you” after giving your child this, then you chose the perfect video. This pleasing title finds the Berenstains focused on good manners and kindness to others. This volume consists of six episodes: “Say Please and Thank You,” “Papa’s Pizza,” “Mighty Milton,” “Double Dare,” “The Big Blooper” and “Get the Gimmies.” Animation is of the usual cheap TV quality, but the messages are first-rate.
Grade: A-

For ages 7-18
The Story of the Weeping Camel
New Line Cinema; PG; 87 minutes; $28 (DVD only)
Available Jan. 25

Set in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, this film follows the adventures of a family of camel herders who face a crisis when one mother camel rejects her newborn, following a particularly difficult delivery. Invoking an ancient ritual, the family sends two of its young boys to the capital city to enlist the aid of a musician whom they believe will coax the mother camel into nursing her baby. This docu-dromedary (OK, that was bad) was developed in a German film school and shot on the fly on location with a cast on nonprofessional actors. This adds to the impressiveness of a film rich in family life and traditional lore. Grade: A

For ages 8-10
Super Babies: Baby Geniuses 2
Columbia-Tristar; PG; 95 minutes; $34 (DVD), $20 (VHS)
Available Jan. 4

A super baby with mysterious powers comes to the aid of a new set of brilliant toddlers in this lousy sequel to the dismal 1999 “Baby Geniuses” that starred Kathleen Turner, Christopher Lloyd, Kim Cattrall and a cast of babies made to talk like smart-alecky, potty-mouthed little wise guys. Only the babies return from the original, though they’re obviously a new batch. Thinking more about their bank account than career are Jon Voight, Scott Baio and a supporting cast of nobodies. Bob Clark returns as director, but why? The original made zip at the box office. And for good reason.
Grade: D

For ages 11 to 16
First Daughter
20th Century Fox; PG; 115 minutes; $25 (DVD), $20 (VHS)
Available Jan. 25

Katie Holmes plays the daughter of the president in this romantic comedy that was delayed from January to September in 2004 because the basic storyline was identical to “Chasing Liberty” starring Mandy Moore. Excited about her first year away at the University of Virginia, but not if she is under the thumb of the Secret Service, Samatha MacKenzie twists dad’s arm for a presidential seal of approval. Or so she thinks. Father (Michael Keaton) assigns one of the youngest agents (Marc Blucas) to follow his daughter around campus disguised as a student. Guess who she falls for, and gets mad at? Forest Whitaker directs this throwaway chick flick.
Grade: C

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