The Dog Who Saved Christmas
by Michael Feifer
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DVD details
Actor: Dean Cain, Gary Valentine, Mario LopezDirector: Michael Feifer
Brand: ANCHOR BAY
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 88 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-12-08
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Product features:
- The Bannister family s new addition, Zeus (voiced by Mario Lopez) a former K-9 police hero, appears to be less than the dependable guard dog the family needs. However, when two burglars (led by Dean Cain) set out to break into the Bannister s home while they re away for Christmas, Zeus seizes the chance to be a hero, proving every dog even this one has his day. Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:
DVD Reviews of The Dog Who Saved Christmas
DVD Review: It's OK
Summary: 3 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
"The Dog Who Saved Christmas" was an OK film. It started out weak and the funny didn't get around until the last thirty minutes. George Bannister (Gary Valentine) looked so much like Paul Bart, the Mall Cop, (Kevin James) that I kept waiting for Paul, I mean George to faint from hypoglycemia! The movie is a mish-mash of different movies. Mix "Home Alone" with "Marley and Me" and throw in Paul Bart and you get the idea. The problem was the movie was no where near those movies.
It had a few funny moments and Ted Stein (Dean Cain) and Stewey McMann (Joey Coco Diaz) were the stars of funny in this movie. I thought Joey did a great job as Stewey although the character has the last name of McMann. He was more of the Italian slapstick Soprano type of guy. Dean also performed well.
George Bannister (Gary Valentine) did a good enough job, but he just didn't have that spark with his family. That spark you see in other movies like Steve Martin and Diane Keaton in "Father of the Bride". Maybe I am asking to much from a Christmas movie, but that is why I like Christmas movies - that warm feeling.
Belinda Bannister (Elisa Donovan) acted well enough but the chemistry was never there for George. They seemed more like brother and sister, not husband and wife. The kids too, never really bonded with the parents. Kara Bannister (Sierra McCormick) was great. She made me believe she would miss Zeus and her reactions to her grandmother was funny! Ben Bannister (Charlie Stewart) was OK but I always felt he wanted to just get it over with, but maybe that was what his character was supposed to do.
The shining star of the film was Adrienne Barbeau as the Cat Lady. She made me believe she was the Cat Lady. Even the dog Zeus (Lana, who was really a female dog), was impressed. About the only time the dog didn't look bored, was staring into the camera or at his (her) trainer, was when the Cat Lady talked. Zeus the dog, knew Adrienne's acting was good. Zeus did do some tricks and behaved well, but never seemed to bond with the family. You can see the distance between the family and the dog. I would have liked to have seen the movie where the Cat Lady took Zeus in and had the movie revolve around her, her cat and Zeus. Instead we got this.
It wasn't a bad film but nothing stellar. Stewey had some funny moments that made me laugh. I thought the scene where George was naked in the bath with Zeus was creepy. No you don't see George naked below the waist but the relationship in the tub was just creepiness. Another inappropriate part was when Stewey wanted to kill Zeus with a golf club and was about to hit the dog. Ted stopped him but agreed to torture Zeus later. Definitely not right and especially not for kids. Some kids may find Ted binding the dog's mouth with a muzzle hurtful too, so if you have very small kids, I want to caution you on that part.
The scenery was not Christmassy. Filmed in the LA area, it never felt like a cozy Christmas. Seeing palm trees and green grass doesn't have that Christmas magic many of us love. I love Christmas movies and collect them. This movie was lacking that Christmas magic. What is Christmas magic? That feeling you get when you watch a great Christmas movie like "It's A Wonderful Life" or "One Magic Christmas", "Prancer" etc. Also it didn't have the all out funny like "Elf" or "Scrooged". It had a mediocre middle.
Grandmother (Mindy Sterling) aka the Frau on Austin Powers, did a great job on annoying the kids and me. When Ben wanted to step out of the car because grandma was so annoying, I was there with him. I wanted to do the same thing. That was what she was supposed to do though, so mission accomplished. The real funny moment was when I saw Stewey coming out of the house with the cops who arrested him. He was without handcuffs but his hands are crossed like they are. I guess his wrists are so big, they couldn't put any on him! It wasn't until I heard the comments in the Extra Features, that they were suppose to put some graphic effects in to make it look like he was wearing handcuffs but either they forgot or it wasn't in the budget.
Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell, Dancing with the Stars, TV show Extra) did the voice of Zeus. In the "Extra" Features, (pun intended), Mario is shown recording his voice for several of the scripts. Other extras were commentary, previews and the trailer. Actually, the preview movie ads in the Extra section looked like watching and I might watch those.
One of my favorite actors on there? The toilet. Yes the toilet. It talks and did a bit part in the film. He was one of the funnier actors in the movie. Don't ask. Actually I might watch it again just to see the toilet! Not!
So to sum it up. It wasn't a bad movie, it wasn't a great movie. It was OK. I liked the last thirty minutes the best. I would recommend that you rent it first and if it fits your taste then buy it, or wait and get it in a bargain bin.
Description of The Dog Who Saved Christmas
The Bannister family?s new addition, Zeus (voiced by Mario Lopez) a former K-9 police hero, appears to be less than the dependable guard dog the family needs. However, when two burglars (led by Dean Cain) set out to break into the Bannister?s home while they?re away for Christmas, Zeus seizes the chance to be a hero, proving every dog ? even this one ? has his day.
A retired K-9 police dog makes a great watchdog and could never end up homeless, right? That's probably true in most cases, but not for a golden lab named Zeus (voiced by Mario Lopez) who messed up a job and doesn't seem able to bark. When the homeless Zeus turns himself in to the pound for a good meal and the chance of finding a family, the other dogs in the pound scoff at his optimism. Not too far away, a recent burglary on the Bannisters' street has the family considering getting either a dog or a security system after the holidays. Dad George (Gary Valentine) and kids Kara (Sierra McCormick) and Ben (Charlie Stewart) are heavily in favor of the dog option, but mom Belinda (Elisa Donovan) thinks a security system might entail less mess and care. Being an impulsive guy who rarely listens to the opinions of his wife or anyone else, George heads to the pound and quickly decides that the ex-K9 Zeus, who looks just like his childhood dog, is the perfect answer to his family's needs. Belinda is skeptical but bonds well with Zeus until she realizes that he never barks. After the dog fails to challenge a friend posing as a burglar, it looks like Zeus will be headed back to the pound following Christmas. The family treks off to spend Christmas Eve with Grandma (Mindy Sterling), and two burglars (Joey Diaz and Dean Cain) show up to rip off the Bannisters' home. Determined not to fail his new family, Zeus puts his mind to work and sets out to deter the thieves in unconventional ways, such as dropping Christmas ornaments off the roof onto their heads and showering them with flour--think Home Alone with a dog at the helm rather than a kid. After a too-long series of silly pranks and unconvincing slapstick comedy by Diaz and Cain, it seems that Zeus will have to overcome his fears and live up to his potential as a watchdog or spend the rest of his life alone. Will the pronouncement by the neighboring cat lady (Adrienne Barbeau) that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" prove prophetic, or can Zeus overcome his fears and become the dog he was meant to be? What could have been a cute new twist on the old "kid left home alone outsmarts a pair of bungling burglars" premise falls flat, thanks to mediocre writing and marginal acting. Kids ages 5 to 8 will probably like this movie because it's a cute, silly story about a clever dog, but older children and adults will find it dull and downright tiresome.
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