The Addams Family 2-Movie Collection

So you've missed the haunting shenanigans of The Addams Family you say? Not only is a new animated feature film on its way to theaters in October, but Paramount has finally released to Blu-ray the two celebrated live-action films that came out in the early 90's.

Most of the cast in "The Addams Family: 2-Movie Collection" are pitch perfect in their roles. Angelica Huston as Morticia Addams plays the ghostly mother/wife with a sly wink and a nod, and Raul Julia as Gomez hams it up, all the while becoming the perfect romantic foil for the talented Huston. The character of Puglsey (Jimmy Workman) is sort of just "there" and doesn't have much to do. But the real revelation belongs to Christina Ricci...her portrayal of Wednesday Addams is spot on, all glares and pouts.

The actors all work well together in the 1991 "The Addams Family," which made a boatload of cash at the box office. And we all know what the means...a sequel called "The Addams Family Values" came out two years later and was less successful.

Both films feature pretty much the same plot. In the first film, the dimwitted Addams Family welcomes back Gomez' long-lost brother Fester (Christopher Lloyd), who may or may not be an imposter. The perfect comedic timing of Joan Cusak helps elevate the second film, as she plays a black widow murderess intent on bumping off her newlywed husband Fester.

I smiled and grinned a lot during "The Addams Family." But it was while viewing "Addams Family Values" that the real laughs came out. Both movies have zippy one-liners and silly special effects. But what were sorely missing while re-examining these Blu-rays is the lack of any special features...there are only film trailers to watch.

"The Addams Family: 2-Movie Collection"
Blu-ray
$29.99
www.paramount.com