I know this was a year that saw the titanic Dark Knight in theaters, as well as huge box office draws such as Iron Man, Indiana Jones, Prince Caspian and more; but I still say that Speed Racer was the most fun I had at the movies this summer. I think it was the most under-appreciated, misunderstood movie released this year, and even though I'm a huge Batman fan, I can safely say it was my favorite movie so far this year. If you missed it in theaters, do yourself a favor and check it out on DVD. I admit that Speed Racer isn't for everyone, but you should at least give it a chance.

I won't spend a lot of time recapping what I covered in my theatrical review of Speed Racer, but I will point out a few things I noticed while watching it on DVD. First, this movie was just as much fun the second time around as it was the first. It was also funnier. I don't know why, but I just noticed a lot more funny stuff this time around. Even so, it still has some of the most amazing imagery and wonderfully intense racing sequences I've seen in a long time. Quite simply, this movie is a blast.

However, I must admit that I also noticed just how difficult it may be to follow the second time around. Maybe it was because I was watching it with my wife this time and she had a lot of questions, but watching Speed Racer on DVD I noticed just how convoluted the storytelling really is in this film. You have flashbacks interspersed with present action, and those flashbacks often cover multiple character perspectives. Toss in the fact that they constantly interrupt what's going on in the present, and it's easy to get lost as to what's happening when. Still, the unusual story structure shouldn't keep anyone from enjoying Speed Racer.

I also once again have to mention what a visual feast this film is. I'm sure it looks absolutely spectacular on Blu-Ray, but even if you don't have a hi-def setup yet, Speed Racer is still one of the most visually rich and engaging movies of the year. The vivid colors, the unique camera work, the fascinating world that's been created for this movie will overload your visual senses. It's beautiful, exciting, and absolutely unique... which unfortunately probably led to its downfall at the boxoffice. In a culture that's happy with more of the same, something this unique and unorthodox just isn't tolerated.

Finally, I can't say enough about how this movie portrays family. I'm still shocked that this sweet, PG-rated family adventure came from the same guys who brought us The Matrix and V for Vendetta. The Racer family is a family that truly loves each other, and even likes each other. They are faithful and supportive of each other, and even when they make mistakes, they're forgiving and willing to work out their problems. Such a family almost seems like a fantasy in today's world.

In fact, I read some reviews that commented on how such a saccharine type of sweetness in a family perfectly fit the cartoony, campy tone of the film because such a thing doesn't exist in real life. How sad that anyone would think that. How sad that we believe that family more often than not ought to be source of pain, strife, and contention than of love and support.

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