This one was crafted for kids and tweens, and that's the only age group that will enjoy it.
"Curb Your Dragon"
Guilt over losing Justin's dog many years ago prompts Alex to try replacing it. But she buys an enchanted dragon that's disguised as a beagle, and because the little guy is a fire-breather they try to hide it and tell their parents it's a lost dog, which requires that they put up posters. Shades of "Air Bud," the dragon seller (Taylor Negron) claims the little guy and decides to enter it in a local dog show, which means, of course, that the kids have to find a way to get their dragon-dog back. Alex gets wind of the teacher's evil scheme and tries to foil her. Meanwhile, in a stupid subplot, a woman dressed like a salad (Robyn Moran) is handing out vegetarian leaflets in front of the Russo's Sub Station, driving away all their business.
"Disenchanted Evening"
Wizard powers become a barometer for that ever-popular game kids play: who's got the coolest (i.e., most permissive) parents. Alex gets jealous when she meets a young wizard named T.J. (Daryl Sabara) whose parents let him use magic anytime and anyplace he chooses. So she schemes to have him drop a hint or two, to maybe influence her parents. Max, meanwhile, struggles to complete a school project about Mars.
It's worth mentioning that the set is a cluttered nest of primary colors, and that distinctive scene segues involve a split-second music video style visual of the cast that has nothing to do with the plot. Other than that, "Wizards of Waverly Place" has the same three-act structure and pacing as most half-hour comedies. As kid-pitched sitcoms go, this one doesn't have the same level of writing or even acting as Disney's "Hannah Montana," but the characters grow on you, and the scripts will certainly appeal to the target audience on a number of levels.
Video:
"Wizards" is presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio, and for a TV-on-DVD release there's a good amount of detail and minimal graininess. Colors, as I've said, are all vivid, though you'll notice a little foxing and loss of edge detail on the bright reds. Overall, though, it's a nice picture--especially when you see the exterior of the Wiz Tech castle.
Audio:
The audio is an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, geared mostly to dialogue and those music-supported segues. There's not a whole lot more to report, except that the voices sound natural, and the bass-tones are deep without seeming muffled or full of excessive rumble.
Extras:
Pretty standard stuff. The single extra is a Disney tour behind the scenes, led by cast members and featuring the usual blend of "here's this" and "meet so-and-so."
Bottom Line:
"Wizards of Waverly Place" is not a show that can break the bonds of its own design. This one was crafted for kids and tweens, and that's the only age group that will enjoy it.
Guilt over losing Justin's dog many years ago prompts Alex to try replacing it. But she buys an enchanted dragon that's disguised as a beagle, and because the little guy is a fire-breather they try to hide it and tell their parents it's a lost dog, which requires that they put up posters. Shades of "Air Bud," the dragon seller (Taylor Negron) claims the little guy and decides to enter it in a local dog show, which means, of course, that the kids have to find a way to get their dragon-dog back. Alex gets wind of the teacher's evil scheme and tries to foil her. Meanwhile, in a stupid subplot, a woman dressed like a salad (Robyn Moran) is handing out vegetarian leaflets in front of the Russo's Sub Station, driving away all their business.
"Disenchanted Evening"
Wizard powers become a barometer for that ever-popular game kids play: who's got the coolest (i.e., most permissive) parents. Alex gets jealous when she meets a young wizard named T.J. (Daryl Sabara) whose parents let him use magic anytime and anyplace he chooses. So she schemes to have him drop a hint or two, to maybe influence her parents. Max, meanwhile, struggles to complete a school project about Mars.
It's worth mentioning that the set is a cluttered nest of primary colors, and that distinctive scene segues involve a split-second music video style visual of the cast that has nothing to do with the plot. Other than that, "Wizards of Waverly Place" has the same three-act structure and pacing as most half-hour comedies. As kid-pitched sitcoms go, this one doesn't have the same level of writing or even acting as Disney's "Hannah Montana," but the characters grow on you, and the scripts will certainly appeal to the target audience on a number of levels.
Video:
"Wizards" is presented in 1.33:1 aspect ratio, and for a TV-on-DVD release there's a good amount of detail and minimal graininess. Colors, as I've said, are all vivid, though you'll notice a little foxing and loss of edge detail on the bright reds. Overall, though, it's a nice picture--especially when you see the exterior of the Wiz Tech castle.
Audio:
The audio is an English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, geared mostly to dialogue and those music-supported segues. There's not a whole lot more to report, except that the voices sound natural, and the bass-tones are deep without seeming muffled or full of excessive rumble.
Extras:
Pretty standard stuff. The single extra is a Disney tour behind the scenes, led by cast members and featuring the usual blend of "here's this" and "meet so-and-so."
Bottom Line:
"Wizards of Waverly Place" is not a show that can break the bonds of its own design. This one was crafted for kids and tweens, and that's the only age group that will enjoy it.
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[release]24431[/release]