Christian Bale sings and slings papers

Newsies - PG\nStarring: Christian Bale, Ann-Margret, Bill Pullman, Robert Duvall\nDirected by: Kenny Ortega\nExtra! Extra! Read all about it -- singing newsboys bring nostalgia to DVD! The anticipation is over, kids. "Newsies," the 1992 Disney musical starring a boyish Christian Bale, is now equipped with bonus features, making this pre-teen favorite even more enjoyable for fans.\nFor underprivileged readers unfamiliar with the film, "Newsies" is based on the true story of a group of New York City newsboys at the turn of the century. As the boys struggle selling newspapers to support themselves, newspaper tycoon Joseph Pulitzer (Robert Duvall) implements a plan to make more money by charging the newsies more for each paper. Unable to afford the change, the newsboys rally under the leadership of newsboy Jack Kelly (Christian Bale) in hopes of overturning Pulitzer's decision. Jack and the newsies organize a newsboy strike that brings the newspaper industry to a standstill.\n"Newsies," although hokey, is incredibly entertaining and fun. The best aspects of the movie lie in the performances of the newsboys. They sing original songs composed by Alan Menken ("The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast") while dancing about the streets of New York. Most songs are upbeat and melodious, although some test the lacking musical abilities of actors-turned-singers like Bill Pullman and Bale.\nThe DVD features follow the Disney-esque mood of the movie. Features like "Newsies: The Inside Story" were obviously made to run on the Disney Channel. Hosted by a few denim-clad newsies, the segment shows the newsboys practicing choreography, but interviews with the cast and crew are also included (i.e., actor David Moscow saying, "The funnest part was martial arts training!"). Another feature called "Talkin' Newsies" teaches the average person to talk like a newsie. But the greatest feature of this DVD is the "Sing-Along" feature, which allows "Newsies" nerds to view the song lyrics throughout the movie to sing-along with the cast (as if they don't already). \nIf you've never seen "Newsies," rent it sometime and try to appreciate the movie's musicality and sheer entertainment value instead of focusing on the cheesy aspects. \nThe bonus features aren't stellar, but any "Newsies" fan will appreciate the new footage of the boys and the improved quality of picture and sound, making it a highly recommended purchase!\n

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