Cats & Dogs [Blu-ray]

• CATS & DOGS BLU-RAY (BLU-RAY DISC)

In the eternal battle between cats and dogs, one crazed feline has taken things a paw too far. Former elite agent Kitty Galore has gone rogue and plans to unleash a diabolical device designed to not only bring her canine enemies to heel but also to take down her former kitty comrades and make the world her scratching post. Faced with this dire threat, cats and dogs must work together for the first time ever to save themselves and their beloved humans from global cat-astrophe. This fantastically fun adventure features the voice talent of Christina Applegate, Michael Clarke Duncan, Neil Patrick Harris, Sean Hayes, James Marsden, Bette Midler and Nick Nolte and stars Chris O'Donnell and Jack McBrayer.A definite improvement over the original 2001 Cats & Dogs, Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore is a brand-new story about an underground world! of animal intelligence, featuring cat spy agency M.E.O.W.S., a dog intelligence agency, and even a pigeon. They find themselves in the unlikely position of joining forces against renegade M.E.O.W.S. agent Kitty Galore as she seeks revenge against dogs and humans in a plan that will destroy the human race and allow her to rule the world. This 3-D film is a blend of live action, puppetry, and animation, and the combination of better writing and a cast of talented voice artists makes the animal spies in this sequel much more believable than in the previous film. Kitty Galore is unlikable to the core and Bette Midler is absolutely perfect in the role. Neil Patrick Harris is highly effective as Lou, head of the dog agency; James Marsden plays the conflicted police-dog-turned-new-recruit Diggs; Nick Nolte plays fellow canine agent Butch; Christina Applegate is M.E.O.W.S. agent Catherine; and Katt Williams as Seamus does a great pigeon. The unlikely cooperation between canine, fe! line, and bird leads to an action-adventure that takes the age! nts from dark back alleys to a cat house run by a cat lady pushing catnip and even a local carnival. The action scenes will hold the interest of most children ages 6 to 12, though many of the adults in the crowd may find them rather on the slow side, and kids and adults alike will chuckle at the silly jokes and slapstick comedy that pop up throughout the film. A notable laugh for the adults in the audience comes in an extended scene that clearly invokes Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. Add in a robot cat, some silly magician tricks--including Kitty Galore zipped into a rabbit suit--a squirrel robot that self-destructs after a quick dance, and the requisite 3-D effects and you've got a perfectly adequate action comedy that kids will enjoy and their parents can stomach without too much complaining. --Tami Horiuchi

Features include:

•MPAA Rating: PG
•Format: DVD
•Runtime: 87 minutes
Charming and bittersweet, this mode! rn-day romantic comedy starring Uma Thurman, Janeane Garofalo and Ben Chaplin, explores the beguiling perils of mistaken identity.

Abby (Garofalo), a savvy, witty veterinarian who hosts her own radio talk show, is anything but confident when it comes to love. A petite brunette, she describes herself as tall and blonde when Brian (Chaplin), a caller who is smitten with her radio persona, asks her on a date. She then talks her tall, blonde neighbor Noelle (Thurman) into assuming her identity, setting off an escalating series of hilarious and romantic crises.One of the most memorably offbeat romantic comedies of the 1990s begins when a talk-radio veterinarian named Abby (Janeane Garofalo) takes a call from Brian (Ben Chaplin), the owner of a roller-skating Great Dane. Brian is intrigued by Abby's voice and asks if she'll agree to meet him. Insecure about her looks and her nonexistent love life, Abby agrees, but describes herself as a tall blonde, then begs her attractive n! eighbor Noelle (played by Uma Thurman) to meet with Brian in h! er place . The ensuing case of switched identity is complicated when Noelle takes a liking to Brian who, of course, thinks she is Abby. This confusion gains comedic momentum when Abby safely plays herself on the radio and in a long, hilariously seductive phone call with Brian, but by now the situation has grown hopelessly complex, and Abby has to find a way to reveal herself without disappointing Brian. Many viewers rightly complained that the movie relies on the assumption that Abby is unattractive, even though Garofalo is more attractive and appealing here than she'd been in several movies before and since. Still, this contemporary variation on Cyrano de Bergerac is a lightweight, good-natured surprise that values the quirks and foibles that make lovelorn romantics (including their pets) uniquely appealing. --Jeff Shannon More than 30 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in ! paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannotâ€"and must notâ€"be treated in the same way.

Fun, practical, and eminently informative, Competability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequently between the two species. Most important, Competability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relati! onships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.!
PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

“Amy Shojai is one of America’s foremost writers of pet care information. She is truly compassionate and caring about her subject and that shines through loud and clear in all she does. Her information is well researched, topical, and practical. I trust Amy and love her work.” â€"Dr. Jim Humphries, veterinarian, National Veterinary Spokesperson, and President of Veterinary News Network.

“A new light and enlightened beam is shining from Texas lately and her name is Amy Shojai. She has added a touch of elegance as well as touching depth to the genre of dog and cat writing. I am a fan.” â€"Mordecai Siegal, the “father” of pet-writing and author of more than three-dozen pet titles.More than 30 million U.S. households double their pleasure by welcoming both cats and dogs into their homes. Yet mixing the two can mean trouble in paradise, especially if you treat your cat like your dog, or vice versa. Cats and dogs are two! very different animals with distinctive needs and they cannotâ€"and must notâ€"be treated in the same way.

Fun, practical, and eminently informative, Competability is the first book that looks at the biological, evolutionary, and behavioral differences between cats and dogs and uses that information to devise strategies for owners that enable the two species to live in harmony within the same household. Written by one of America's premier pet experts, the book explains everything an owner of a cat and dog should know, including the most common behaviors of cats and dogs alone and together; recommendations for pet health care, grooming, and feeding; ways to recognize ailments; and the problems that arise most frequently between the two species. Most important, Competability provides crucial tips on how to evaluate and match your pets' personalities, improve their relationships, and make your home a sanctuary for pet fun and peace.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK:

! “Amy Shojai is one of America’s foremost writers of pet ca! re infor mation. She is truly compassionate and caring about her subject and that shines through loud and clear in all she does. Her information is well researched, topical, and practical. I trust Amy and love her work.” â€"Dr. Jim Humphries, veterinarian, National Veterinary Spokesperson, and President of Veterinary News Network.

“A new light and enlightened beam is shining from Texas lately and her name is Amy Shojai. She has added a touch of elegance as well as touching depth to the genre of dog and cat writing. I am a fan.” â€"Mordecai Siegal, the “father” of pet-writing and author of more than three-dozen pet titles.Comedic action-adventure that mixes live action with cutting-edge CGI and animatronic effects. "Cats & Dogs" uncovers the truth about the high-tech, secret war being waged in neighborhoods everywhere that humans aren't even aware of: an eternal struggle between the two great armies of Cats and Dogs. The story follows a Cat plan to destroy a new vacci! ne that, if developed, would destroy all human allergies to Dogs, and the Dogs' efforts to stop the Cats from executing their plan.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary:Dog Commentary Cat Commentary
Deleted Scenes:Deleted Scenes - tied together
Other:"Teaching A New Dog New Tricks" Easter Eggs (4) - "Techbone", Star, Mr. Tinkles Flag, Dog Paw
TV Special:HBO First Look Special

How can you hate a movie that features ninja Siamese cats wreaking havoc with their kung fu prowess? That's one of the highlights in Cats & Dogs, an effects-laden family film that mystifies cat fanciers by casting dogs as the undisputed heroes in all-out warfare with nefarious felines. Hidden headquarters and high-tech gadgets are featured on both sides of this age-old battle. On the feline side, the longhaired Persian Mr. Tinkles (voice of Sean Hayes) plots to sabotage the efforts of Professor Brody (Jeff Goldblum) to discover a cure for human ! allergies to dogs. On the canine side, stalwart shepherd Butch! (voice of Alec Baldwin) trains the mistakenly recruited beagle puppy Lou (voice of Tobey Maguire) to foil Mr. Tinkles's scheme--a mission that begins when Mrs. Brody (Elizabeth Perkins) adopts Lou for her son Scott (Alexander Pollock).

Using combinations of live animals, animatronic puppets, and digital wizardry, Cats & Dogs has just enough imagination to match its effects, climaxing with a feline global-domination scheme involving mice sprayed with chemicals that will make all humans allergic to dogs. Goldblum and Perkins gamely play second fiddles to this menagerie of mayhem, and as madcap "realism" gives way to cartoonish fantasy, the movie escalates into utter chaos, burdened by lame jokes but highlighted by a furry supporting cast including a Saluki hound (voice of Susan Sarandon), a shaggy sheepdog (voice of Michael Clarke Duncan), and a Chinese hairless techno-geek named Peek (voice of Joe Pantoliano). Though never as charming as the Babe movies, Cats &! Dogs is harmless fun--especially for dog lovers. --Jeff Shannon

Features include:

•MPAA Rating: PG
•Format: Blu-Ray
•Runtime: 82 minutes
They’re cunning. They’re stealthy. They’re waging a top-secret, ultra-high-tech struggle for global domination right under our noses. They’re…Cats & Dogs! Witness this epic “tail” of what happens when an eccentric professor (Jeff Goldblum) makes a discovery that could tip the age-old balance of pet power. Now an inexperienced young beagle pup (voiced by Tobey Maguire) will undertake the ultimate mission impawsible: saving humankind from total catastrophe! Voices of Alec Baldwin, Susan Sarandon, Jon Lovitz, Charlton Heston and Sean Hayes are also featured.