Banyan Entertainment presents

Are We There Yet? Starring Miles the Goose (2005)

"Whether you're traveling cross country or across town, I'm your go-to goose for fun!" - Miles the Goose

Stars: Miles the Goose
MPAA Rating: Not RatedRun Time: 00h:51m:46s
Release Date: 2005-05-24
Genre: family

Style Grade	Substance Grade	Image Transfer Grade	Audio Transfer Grade	Extras Grade
B	B+	B-	B-	C-

 

DVD Review

Whoever said that it's not the destination but the journey never took a road trip with little kids in the car. The glamour of travel wears off pretty quickly as you're cruising on the interstate, on the way to Grandma's or Wally World or wherever; we've all either whined or heard ad nauseam the title of this DVD (which, I should note, has nothing to do with the recent feature film starring Ice Cube). Never fear, parents, for Miles the Goose is on hand to entertain the tots after they can't stomach another chicken nugget and you've grown nearly homicidal listening to that Raffi tape over and over and over again.

In some ways this is a bizarrely specialized DVD—principally it's designed to be played in the car, and if you aren't cruising around in a minivan tricked out with a DVD player, this may not be the best choice for you. (It's a point of pride for me that, despite being a father, I do not drive a minivan, and I hope that I never, ever will.) Our host for the proceedings is Miles the Goose, a chipper, Muppet-like good-natured character; he's joined by a quartet of youngsters affectionately known as the Question Kids, and they provide diversion for just under an hour. Miles even has his own catch phrase—"Wack-a-doo!"—which actually becomes a little annoying with repetition. But he's tricked out with a house band, playing kid-friendly songs, and usually the words flash across the screen, so if sing-alongs aren't your thing, you have been warned.

Miles leads us in road games—spotting all the letters in road signs, for instance, in Alphabet Snoop—and the disc is reasonably educational, with fun facts about animals, bridges, even cloud formations. There are appropriate travelogue elements, too, as Miles' seemingly random journey takes him across country, from the Redwood Forest to the New York islands, and even overseas. (It's unclear to me just how the minivan makes it to Hawaii or Paris.) The repetition and the quizzes are sure to please and to inform the youngsters; my one big problem with this is that at times it's viciously overcut, and if it makes you a little queasy watching it in your living room, I can't imagine the effect it will have at 65 miles per hour.

Rating for Style: B
Rating for Substance: B+

 

Image Transfer

	One
Aspect Ratio	1.33:1 - Full Frame
Original Aspect Ratio	yes
Anamorphic	no

Image Transfer Review: Shot on video, the contrast is a little much, but you're probably not here for the cinematography, anyway.

Image Transfer Grade: B-
 

Audio Transfer

	Language	Remote Access
PCM	English	no

Audio Transfer Review: Dynamics are limited, but it's all clear and chipper.

Audio Transfer Grade: B- 

Disc Extras

Animated menu with music
Scene Access with 22 cues
3 Featurette(s)
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extra Extras:

1. links to games and songs in the feature

Extras Review: Depending on how you like to pass the time, you can link directly to the games and songs in the feature by going to Bonus Stuff. You'll also find a set of bloopers (02m:30s), featuring Miles and the kids going up on their lines; a brief biography (01m:54) of our host, from his earliest days as a hatching gosling; and a promo (00m:52s) for Miles' website. 

Extras Grade: C-
 

Final Comments

You just can't watch Finding Nemo all day every day in the car, and this hour or so with Miles the Goose is a genial, educational diversion.

Jon Danziger 2005-06-03