HT Staff

soundmatters

New York, NY—The Home Entertainment 2004 Show, scheduled to take place on November 4-7, 2004 at the Westin-St. Francis Hotel, has been cancelled due to the hotel labor issue in San Francisco.

DVD: That's Entertainment: The Complete Collection—MGM/UA
Video: 4
Audio: 4
Extras: 2
A fully remastered picture and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio make this compilation leap off the screen. A tribute to the golden-era of movie musicals and the studio that essentially made the medium, these four discs are full of wholesome entertainment. There is something sweeping and epic about these clips and performances, the grand scale on which these were mounted interspersed with classic solo dances from Fred Astaire and many others. Seeing the full body in motion, fluid and in long takes without cuts is really the only way photographed dance should be seen. The beauty of the art form in all its striking color and sound is simply a joy. Plus, some non-dance sequences are here from the Marx Brothers, Abbott & Costello, and the like, highlighting the intricate choreography of physical comedy as well as classic verbal timing.

DVD: Raising Helen—Buena Vista
Video: 3
Audio: 3
Extras: 2
In the breezy comedy Raising Helen, Kate Hudson's fast track to agenting in the modeling business gets sidetracked when her sister's three kids move in with her after a fatal accident kills their mom. With the exception of a couple of surprisingly touching moments and the mega-talents of Joan Cusack, no feathers are ruffled too much, leading to the predictable conclusion with lots of smiles and hugs.