DVD Verdict reviews: SPEED RACER: VOLUME 4, MERMAID FOREST: UNQUENCHABLE THIRST (VOLUME 3), and more!

Today, DVD Verdict posted reviews of THE ADVENTURES OF RAGGEDY ANN AND
ANDY: THE MABBIT ADVENTURE AND OTHER EXCITING TALES, THE ADVENTURES OF
RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY: THE PIXLING ADVENTURE AND OTHER EXCITING TALES,
BEACH BALLS, THE CHOKE, THE ESSENTIAL EGOYAN, MAIL ORDER WIFE, THE
MASTER KEY, MERMAID FOREST: BITTER FLESH (VOLUME 2), MERMAID FOREST:
UNQUENCHABLE THIRST (VOLUME 3), NEO RANGA: COMPLETE COLLECTION, SPEED
RACER: VOLUME 4, SUGAR, and THREE NUTS IN SEARCH OF A BOLT:


THE ADVENTURES OF RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY: THE MABBIT ADVENTURE AND OTHER
EXCITING TALES (reviewed by Paul Corupe, overall score 76/100):
"Though her design may seem decidedly old-fashioned since the
introduction of fashion-forward dolls like Barbie, Raggedy Ann continues
to be a hot property. "

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/raggedyannmabbit.php

THE ADVENTURES OF RAGGEDY ANN AND ANDY: THE PIXLING ADVENTURE AND OTHER
EXCITING TALES (reviewed by Paul Corupe, overall score 74/100):
"The Adventures of Raggedy Ann & Andy: The Pixling Adventure and
Other Exciting Tales, is perfectly appropriate for kids, but I'm not
sure what the hook is for a modern audience. I can't imagine that anyone
would feel nostalgic enough about the show to want to buy it and share
it with their children."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/raggedyannpixling.php

BEACH BALLS (reviewed by Paul Corupe, overall score 70/100):
"There are precious few laughs in this film, which is really more
interested in telling Charlie's story of unrequited love than engaging
in the expected wacky teen antics. Perhaps because of this, nudity is
also kept to a bare minimum, with only a few pairs of breasts glimpsed
in gratuitous scenes that very well could have been added after a post-
production decree from King Corman."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/beachballs.php

THE CHOKE (reviewed by Mac McEntire, overall score 82/100):
"The creators aren't trying to generate raw, nail-biting suspense.
They're more interested in taking the audience on a wild ride. Expect
generous amounts of comedy and even a little bit of romance in between
the maniacal slayings. "

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/thechoke.php

THE ESSENTIAL EGOYAN (reviewed by Kerry Birmingham, overall score
81/100):
"This collection, covering material from his 1984 debut Next of Kin (not
the Swayze one) through 1993's largely improvised Calendar (1991's The
Adjuster is conspicuously absent), is like watching your child grow."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/essentialegoyan.php

MAIL ORDER WIFE (reviewed by Brett Cullum, overall score 91/100):
"This 'tragicomic mockumentary' makes mincemeat out of the American
male. Let's face it guys, we're pigs and we deserve it. Luckily, some of
the objects of our affections have a taste for bacon, but the truly
smart ones like women. If you don't believe the above statements then
look no further than Mail Order Wife to make you one of the faithful."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/mailorderwife.php

THE MASTER KEY (reviewed by James A. Stewart, overall score 80/100):
"Let's face it; people just like hokey cliffhangers. "

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/masterkey.php

MERMAID FOREST: BITTER FLESH (VOLUME 2) (reviewed by Bryan Byun, overall
score 90/100):
"This being the creation of Rumiko Takahashi, though, there's an impish
sense of humor that offsets the otherwise serious tone."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/mermaidforestvol2.php

MERMAID FOREST: UNQUENCHABLE THIRST (VOLUME 3) (reviewed by Bryan Byun,
overall score 90/100):
"There's clearly the potential here to create a much longer story, on
the scale of Maison Ikkoku or Inu Yasha, but for whatever reason,
Takahashi moved on to other projects, leaving the tale unfinished and
its potential sadly wasted."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/mermaidforestvol3.php

NEO RANGA: COMPLETE COLLECTION (reviewed by Mike Pinsky, overall
score 68/100):
"Neo Ranga began as a show about real people and their fantasies of
paradise, embodied in an incongruous giant that cast a shadow over their
mundane lives. By the finale, Neo Ranga became a series in which the
wild, illogical fantasy took over completely and left the real lives of
the characters as mere shadows."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/neorangacoll.php

SPEED RACER: VOLUME 4 (reviewed by Paul Corupe, overall score 82/100):
"This innovative, early Japanamation hit, chronicling the adventures of
a young teenage boy and his suped-up supercar, seems to have gotten
stuck in neutral in the memories of all who have seen it, thanks to its
outlandish stories, off-kilter dubbing, and fiery, crash-filled races.
Speed Racer: Volume Four is the latest release in Lionsgate's ongoing
collection of the show, another solid release that breaks away from the
pack in an effort to capture the checkered flag."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/speedracervol4.php

SUGAR (reviewed by David Johnson, overall score 80/100):
"Things get progressively weirder, the visions get nuttier, the woman
goes hog-wild with sugar, and she ends up in a suitcase. Basically, it's
a 72-minute Tool music video."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/sugar2006.php

THREE NUTS IN SEARCH OF A BOLT (reviewed by Paul Corupe, overall
score 79/100):
"Highball meets highbrow in this underrated little onscreen romp that
plays off of an energetic premise, a little naughtiness, and the all-but-
lost art of ribald humor."

FULL REVIEW: http://www.dvdverdict.com/reviews/th...searchbolt.php

Mike Jackson
Editor & Webmaster, DVD Verdict
www.dvdverdict.com

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