Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue (Blu-ray+DVD Combo)

Written by Hombre Divertido

This new direct-to-DVD release from Disney, that is due to hit shelves on September 21st, certainly could have rescued us from the bleak summer of over hyped 3D animated films had Disney chosen to give it a theatrical unveiling. Nonetheless, this simple, well-told story is a treat for the whole family that is sure to put some fun into your autumn.

Yes, as the film opens, the computer animations are a bit lifeless, and definitely take some getting used to, but once the excellent vocal talents begin to bring their characters to life, the film jumps off the screen.

In Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue, we find Tink (Mae Whitman) and her friends off to summer camp on the mainland. Tink is of course curious about everything, especially humans, and though she is consistently warned to stay away from them, it is not long before she encounters one. Lizzy (Lauren Mote) who happens to be a fairy fanatic, is out in the country with her father (Yes, another Disney character with an absent mother) for the summer. With dad (Michael Sheen) being all wrapped up in his work which conveniently has to do with entomology, Lizzy is left alone to play and fantasize about the world of fairies, until you know who drops into who her playhouse.

Though communication is a struggle between our two characters as Tinks voice sounds like small bells ringing to Lizzy, it does not take Tink long to realize that this human has a good heart and is in need of a friend. As Tink and Lizzy build a friendship, the rest of the fairies set out on an adventure to rescue our heroine from the humans.

Director Bradley Raymond deserves accolades here as he allows for well-developed characters that are endearing to the audience to drive this simple story. The audience enjoys the relationships established and truly cares about the plight of each character. The music and vocal talents enhance each segment and literally bring life to animation.

Bonus Material:

At only 77 minutes the main feature certainly leaves you wanting more, but there is plenty of bonus material to satisfy young and old alike.

Calling a preview to an upcoming release “Bonus Material” is a bit generous and Tangled, Disney’s new take on the story of Rapunzel, looks a bit desperate in its attempt to bring life to what appears to be a fairly one-dimensional story.

The generally standard “Deleted Scenes” section is a pleasant surprise in this release as Director Raymond and producer Helen Kalafatic introduce and discuss each deleted scene, conveying an almost parental guardedness towards that which was left out of the film. Watching the incomplete segments lends a unique insight into the developmental process.

The music video “How to Believe” by Bridgit Mendler is very enjoyable. At less than two minutes in length; the “Design a Fairy House” segment lacks focus and seems incomplete. The “Fairy Field Guide Builder” will be fun for the young.

The Blu-ray is presented with a 1080p/MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and the audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround Sound in English, French, and Spanish. It has BD-Live functionality.

Recommendation: The new release Blu-Ray+DVD combo pack is a great buy for every family. There is enough interesting material in the story to engage those who grew up with Tinker Bell and Peter Pan, and the energy in The Great Fairy Rescue will keep the children glued to the screen.

Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam - Extended Edition (Blu-ray)

Written by Pirata Hermosa

It’s only been a year since Mitchie (Demi Lovato) went to Camp Rock for the first time. Her first year was spent pretending to be someone she wasn’t. But it wasn’t until the final performance after Final Jam that she came out of her shell and let everyone see just how truly talented she was.

But now it’s a new camp season and everything is going to be great. That is until Camp Star opens across the lake and threatens to run Camp Rock out of business by stealing away all the counselors. So instead of the fun summer with her long-distance boyfriend, Shane (Joe Jonas), she ends up having to organize a group of experienced campers to become the new counselors and then come up with a musical number that will blow away Camp Rock during the Final Jam competition.

While Mitchie and Shane’s relationship flounders and leaves him puzzled wondering if he made the right decision to come off tour, the romantic aspect of the film focuses more on one of his band mates, Nate (Nick Jonas), and his wooing of Dana (Chloe Bridges), who just happens to be the daughter of the opposing camp’s owner.

It’s not a terribly complex or unique plotline, and since it’s a musical, the most important aspect is how good are the musical numbers. The biggest difference between the first film and the newest one is that it’s focusing a lot more on the singing of Mitchie, Shane, and his band. In the original one it was a camp of kids all coming up with different songs and performances in the normal course of a camp atmosphere. In other words, they actually worked on their singing and dancing. In the latest film you have a lot more of Mitchie just suddenly breaking into a song that nobody has heard yet they all seem to know the song and all the dance moves.

Even so, the songs are really good and go along perfectly with the story, the best two being “Can’t Back Down, and “It’s on.” They are both filled with lots of energy and attitude that really show off Lovato’s vocals. Another exceptional song is “Introducing Me,” which is a quirky song performed by Nate to show Dana what he is really like and what his feelings are. The songs performed by Camp Star are the weaker songs on the soundtrack. Instead of focusing on the music it’s more about image and gimmicks such as lasers and fireballs, which works well within the context of the film.

The Blu-ray combo pack contains three discs, the Blu-ray, the DVD version and a digital copy for your computer. The Blu-ray is in 1080p High Definition (1.78:1) with a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The images are crisp and clear, so much so that you can see the dust on the hardwood floors and see the scratches left behind after some of the dance routines. The audio is just as good where you can actually pick out the individual singers during the group numbers and draws you in by making you feel like you are right in the middle of the action.

There are three special features on the disc: “Rock-Along” when this mode is activated words appear on the screen during the musical numbers much like a karaoke machine. “Getting to Know Camp Star’s Newest Stars” is a sit-down interview with Chloe Bridges and Matthew “Mdot” Finley that is moderated by Alyson Stoner. “Music Videos by Camp Rockers From Around the World” contains five different videos by foreign artists singing various songs from the film interspersed with clips from the movie. The oddest of the videos being the one from Germany where a gruff-looking projectionist sings the Joe Jonas part to the song “Wouldn’t Change A Thing” while he watches clips of Demi Lovato singing the other part in the film.

Along with the special features, the set also includes two new scenes, which are basically just two new musical numbers.“Different Summers” is a nice song by Lovato, but it was better left out of the original film. The entire premise is about the two camps having a showdown at Final Jam, but if this scene was left in then the two camps would have already competed and takes away from the suspense of the story. “Walking in My Shoes” is another number that fortunately was left out of the original as well because it does nothing to advance the story and is just another generic soulless performance by the Camp Star kids.

While the film isn’t going to win an Oscar, it’s family friendly and has that familiar Disney feel to it. The songs are well written and produced, and with Demi Lovato’s amazing voice on most of them it’s hard to not be drawn in. If you like Demi or the Jonas Brothers, then you’ll really going to enjoy this film. Even if you’re not a fan of any of them, the characters are so likeable that you just might find yourself becoming one.

The Great Mouse Detective – Mystery in the Mist Edition

Written by Hombre Divertido

Prior to the release of The Little Mermaid in 1989, the1980s were generally considered to be somewhat of a black hole for Disney when it comes to animated films. From The Fox and the Hound (1981) to Oliver and Company (1988) Disney failed to achieve the success that it had established in decades past. The Black Cauldron (1985) and The Great Mouse Detective (1986) find themselves sandwiched in this period.

In reviewing the aforementioned films, one may find that they have missed some entertaining movies. That is certainly the case with The Great Mouse Detective. No, certainly not in the same league as the wonderful films that Disney would release in the 1990s, but it is a cute movie.

Based on the Eve Titus' book Basil of Baker Street, The Great Mouse Detective follows the adventures of Basil (Barrie Ingham), the Sherlock Holmes-esque mouse detective, and his newly found sidekick, Dr. David Q. Dawson (Val Bettin), as they help young Olivia (Susanne Pollatschek) find her father Hiram (Alan Young) who has been kidnapped by the evil Professor Ratigan (Vincent Price).

It is the vocal talents of the above-mentioned artists and the direction of Ron Clements, Burny Mattinson, David Michener, and John Musker, that allows this simple story to over achieve. This is just simple storytelling done well with energetic and extremely likeable characters.

Almost eight years after the first DVD, Disney releases the digitally restored Mystery in the Mist edition with an all-new “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” and the bonus material that was included in 2002: “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” and the “The World's Greatest Criminal Mind” sing-along song. Unfortunately, two animated shorts included with 2002 disc have been replaced by “Dylan & Cole Sprouses: Blu-ray Is Suite!” and “Learn How to Take Your Favorite Movies On the Go” which really have no right being listed as bonus features.

The digitally restored film looks great, but the “So You Think You Can Sleuth Challenge” will prove to be disappointing to children. “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” is an interesting and entertaining look into the development and production of this film. Though the fact that CGI was used for the first time in a Disney film to create the chase through the workings of a clock is highlighted in the featurette, said scene still manages to be distracting as it looks too different from the animation utilized in the rest of the film. The Sing-along song is fun for all who choose to join in.

Recommendation: The Great Mouse Detective has been overlooked for too long. The performance of the legendary Vincent Price as the power-hungry Professor Ratigan alone is worth the 71-minute investment. This film is great for the whole family, though the barroom scene is a bit racy for young children. The overall energy of the film is perfect for kids, and adults will appreciate the Sherlock Holmes references including a vocal cameo by Basil Rathbone himself. There is not enough new material her to warrant the purchase of the Mystery in the Mist edition if you already own the 2002 release.

"On the Trail":

OLD DOGS

Written by Hombre Divertido

Sometimes it is just best to put old dogs out of their misery.

With a plot that is too contrived for adults, and contains nothing to which children can relate, there is no audience for this film. Nonetheless Disney sent this 88-minute (which happens to be about as long as it was in theatres) dog to store shelves on March 9th, 2010 in a set that includes a Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital copy, thus providing you and your family with three ways to avoid Old Dogs.

Disney somehow managed to get John Travolta, Robin Williams, Seth Green, Kelly Preston, Matt Dillon, Rita Wilson, Bernie Mac, and Ann Margret to participate in a script so thrown together and contrived, that it is a mystery how it ever got sold. It’s bad enough that Travolta and his wife Kelly Preston are in this, but to have allowed their child (daughter Ella) to participate should be considered a form of child abuse.

In Old Dogs Charlie (Travolta) and Dan (Williams) are lifelong friends and co-owners of some sort of sports-related marketing company, which like other aspects of this film, is loosely defined. Seven years earlier, Charlie had taken Dan to Florida to help him get over his divorce. One night in Florida, they get drunk, Dan gets a tattoo on his chest, meets Vicki (Preston), gets married, has sex, and gets an annulment. Vicki shows up (present day) to let Dan know that she has to go to jail for two weeks, and that he is the father of twins (Conner Rayburn and Ella Blue Travolta). Yup, it’s got Disney family film written all over it. So Dan and Charlie end up being saddled with the care of the children for two weeks while negotiating the biggest deal in the history of their company.

Since there is little introduction to the children or exploration into true childcare issues, ridiculous scenarios are introduced such as people taking the wrong medication and then dealing with the side effects. Again, a great comedic vehicle for a family film. Even more contrived is Charlie’s soliciting the help of friend and children’s entertainer Jimmy Lunchbox (a wasted Bernie Mac in what would sadly be his last film) who helps turn Dan into a human puppet so that he can better relate to his children.

One cannot help but feel for these actors as they clearly realize they are in a poorly written film and thus try desperately to breathe life into dead scenes. Unfortunately this results in what appears to be some of the worst over-acting seen on screen in years.

The bonus material includes a blooper reel on the Blu-Ray and DVD that is so poorly edited that it is impossible to appreciate, audio commentary, and deleted scenes. The audio commentary is more distracting than anything else, and the deleted scenes deserved to be deleted. The packaging indicated music videos on both the DVD and Blu-Ray, but they did not appear to be on the DVD.

Recommendation: The release of this film was delayed three times: According to Disney, the postponements were due to the death of Bernie Mac, Travolta’s son, and the health issue faced by Williams. The poor quality of the film should have been the reason, and it should have resulted in the project being scrapped long before filming began. There is nothing here worth your time or money. Wait for it to come out on television, which, based on its brief stay in theatres should not be long, and then watch something else.

Winnie the Pooh - A Valentine for You (Special Edition)

Written by Hombre Divertido

The special edition is due to hit shelves today, but it does not appear that Disney has added much to make this release significantly more “special” than the 2004 release. The six-year evolution has resulted in the addition of another episode from the television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1989), and six Valentine cards (three designs, two copies each) to “A Valentine for You,” “Un-Valentine Day,” “Three Little Piglets,” and the game “Catch the Love Bug,” which were all included in the 2004 release.

“A Valentine for You” tells the unusual tale of Pooh and his friends in search of a “smitten,” or a love bug, in order to cure Christopher Robin of his first crush. The tale is unusual in its lack of a sensible story. The transitions which send our friends on their search make little sense, as do the turn of events once the smitten is captured. Though the very young may enjoy the tale like a shiny new toy, parents may find that said toy will not keep the young ones entertained long.

“Un-Valentine's Day” makes far more sense from a pure storytelling perspective, and has more energy than “A Valentine for You.” It should garner more attention from both the young and old.

“Three Little Piglets” starts abruptly, and is a cute telling of the classic tale, but seems incomplete as an episode of The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.

New to DVD is “My Hero.” Like “Three Little Piglets” this story is far from new and has nothing to do with Valentine's Day. In “My Hero” Piglet inadvertently falls in a small pond where Tigger is floundering. Tigger believes that Piglet has saved his life, and vows to become his servant. Sound familiar? Yeah, it would be hard to find a sitcom of the sixties or seventies that did not play out that same scenario. Nonetheless, the episode is fun, and highlights the vocal talents of John Fiedler who has been the voice of Piglet for more than forty years.

The “Catch the Love Bug” game is far too basic for the technology of today, and even would have been simple six years ago, as one is asked to move the jar utilizing the arrow keys on the remote, and then press "Enter" when the jar is over the bug. Even the youngest of children will eventually figure out that it is not necessary to move the jar as the bug follows the same course every time and will fly under the jar.

The vocal talents in this release are generally excellent primarily due to the inclusion of not only Feider, but also the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger in all the stories. Jim Cummings who has been providing the voice of Pooh for over twenty years has taken over the voice of Tigger for the last ten years. Owl is voiced by Andre Stojka in “A Valentine for You” and Hal Smith in the other stories. Smith has been providing the voice of Owl since 1968 and has more of a worldly energy to his voice than that of Stojka. All the stories tend to lack input from Eeyore (Peter Cullen) whose mundane delivery pleasantly counters the exuberance of the other characters when we do get to see and hear him.

The menu on the DVD is awkward, and may be difficult for children to find what they want.

Recommendation: There simply may not be enough material here to warrant the purchase, and certainly not enough new material for those who own the previous release. If it’s on sale, it’s hard to go wrong with anything from the Hundred Acre Wood.

MONSTERS, INC. (Blu-ray)

Written by Senora Bicho

Released in November 2001, Monsters, Inc. was the fourth feature-length feature film by Pixar Animation Studios. While it was a commercial and critical success, I didn’t think it was as entertaining for adults when compared to the previous films. I haven’t seen it since the theatrical release and was curious to see if I might enjoy it more this time around with the Blu-ray release.

The inhabitants of the city Monstropolis rely on the screams of children as its source of power. Monsters, Inc. provides the city’s energy through its scream-processing factory. James P. “Sully” Sullivan (John Goodman) and Mike Wazowski (Billy Crystal) are the top scare team at the factory. Randall Boggs (Steve Buscemi) is Sully’s rival determined to take over the top position. In order to obtain the screams, the monsters enter into teleportation doors that lead into a child’s bedroom. One night after business hours, Sully stumbles upon a door that hasn’t been properly stored away. While investigating the door, he inadvertently brings a child into the monster world. Children are considered toxic to monsters so as soon as the breach is discovered the city goes on high alert. Sully and Mike soon discover that the child is not toxic after all and realize it is up to them to protect her while attempting to get her home.

Both the video and audio presentations are amazing. Presented in 1080p and an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film is awash in brilliant, vibrant colors from the trees’ autumn colors to the entire spectrum of rainbow represented by the cast of characters. It’s very impressive the creative team went to the trouble of adding patches of purple on his bluish-turquoise hair, which is flawlessly rendered, as are all the textures in the film. From common walls to the monsters’ various skin types, they are all clear and realistic.

The jazz score under the opening credits immediately prepares the viewer for how good the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 experience will be. Each instrument (clarinet, trumpet, piano, drums) is distinct and the bass thumps out the subwoofer. The directionality well positions the characters and items as they move about the scene. The dialogue is understandable no matter how wild the action gets, and the climatic door-storage chase sequence gets very wild.

The Blu-ray release includes all-new bonus material. “Filmmakers’ Round Table” provides behind-the-scenes information and anecdotes from some of the filmmakers. “Monsters, Inc. Ride and Go Seek: Building Monstropolis in Japan” offers a look at the new attraction at Tokyo Disneyland. “Roz 100-Door Challenge” is a triva game aimed at younger viewers who wish to try and apply for a job at Monsters, Inc. There is also an audio commentary by director Pete Docter, co-director Lee Unkrich, screenwriter Andrew Stanton and executive producer John Lasseter. However, these features alone do not create a compelling reason to buy the Blu-ray combo pack.

The original bonus material contained in the first DVD release is also provided. “For the Birds” is an Academy Award-winning short. “Mike’s New Car” is an Academy Award-nominated short. “Humans Only” contains information on Pixar and highlights the process of making the film from concept to completion. “Monsters Only” focuses on the company Monsters, Inc. and its staff. The set also comes with a standard DVD that includes the film and the original bonus material while a fourth disc provides a digital copy of the film.

As it turned out I happened to watch Pixar’s newest release Up over the same weekend as watching Monsters, Inc. There was no comparison on my mind; Up is a much more sophisticated, interesting, and thoughtful film designed for the entire family to enjoy. Monsters, Inc. is intended for a younger viewer with a simpler, shallower story based more on action. There is an attempt to address the real world issue of energy but it only touches the surface. While the characters are fun to watch and the its look is as good as any other Pixar film, it leaves something to be desired when compared to the other great films the studio has produced.

Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (10th Anniversary Edition DVD Gift Set)

A cat will spend time playing with a ball made of string, but that doesn’t make it quality entertainment. A child may watch Disney’s Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving (10th Anniversary Edition), which hit shelves on September 29th, but it is not quality entertainment simply because it is as poorly constructed as a ball made of string.

Taking stories, some of which that were poor on their own, and combining them into one film when they obviously don’t go together can only result in poor storytelling. Unfortunately that is the case here as “Ground Piglet Day,””A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving,” and “Find Her, Keep Her,” are combined to form Seasons of Giving.

Disney has taken this convoluted story and packaged it perfectly for the very young. The Anniversary release includes a small Christmas stocking with Pooh and Tigger on it, and the single-disk includes as Bonus Features two episodes of the television show The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and two games in which the viewer can decorate a Christmas tree and color a picture. So, there is plenty here for the kids to play with, and the really young certainly won’t ask the obvious questions. Why does the animation look different from story to story? Why are some of the voices different? Why does Christopher Robin have an accent in one story and no accent in another? Where are Kanga and Roo for most of the film?

Jim Cummings as the voice of Pooh is fine, though more enjoyable in the feature than in the television show, as the latter gives Pooh too much dialog, and the delivery is inconsistent. This release gives the viewer both Cummings and the legendary Paul Winchell as Tigger, and though Cumming’s performance is adequate, escaping the shadow of Winchell will be a challenge. Similarly, John Fiedler has been the voice of Piglet for decades, so having Steve Schatzberg as Piglet in part of the production is distracting.

Though some adults may overlook these obvious flaws of technical continuity, the poor storytelling will make most unhappy. Storytelling has always been a strong point for adventures featuring the characters from the Hundred Acre Woods, but that is not the case here, as the opening story of lost calendar days, makes little sense, and sets the tone for the rest of the Seasons of Giving.

Recommendation: Obviously it is hard to steer parents away from getting this for their kids. The stocking is quite cute, and it is an inexpensive gift that will provide a few hours of viewing, but the family deserves better from Disney, and there are better Winnie the Pooh stories out there. Don’t let the addition of the collectible stocking lure you into buying a product not good enough to stand on its own. Some anniversaries should not be acknowledged.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks - Enchanted Musical Edition

Written by Senora Bicho

Disney had been working on Mary Poppins for two years when it was put on hold waiting for final approval by the book’s author P. L. Travers. In the meantime Walt found another book, Mary's Norton's Bedknobs and Boomsticks, which featured a magical lady caring for children. He brought this to the his creative team so they could start putting together the story and songs, but Mary Poppins was then approved and Bedknobs was put on the shelf for several years. The go-ahead finally came in 1969 and it was released in 1971. While the movie was not as popular and is not as well known as Mary Poppins, it did win the Academy Award for Best Effects, Special Visual Effects and is still impressive today.

It is 1940 and England is fighting World War II. Young Charlie, Carrie, and Paul are forced to move from London to a small village. Miss Price (Angela Lansbury) lives alone and is asked to take them in. The children soon discover that she is an apprentice witch. In order to keep them from telling her secret, she gives them an enchanted bedknob that when re-attached to the bedpost will take them anywhere they want. Miss Price is nearing the end of her witchcraft correspondence course when she learns that the school has been shutdown before receiving the last spell. She believes that she can use this last spell to help England win, so she talks the children into letting her use the bed to find Professor Emelius Browne (David Tomlinson), the headmaster of the school. It is from here that their adventures begin and even includes a visit to the animated Isle of Naboombu.

There are several bonus features included in the DVD collection. “This Wizards of Special Effects” explains how the special effects were done and is hosted by Jennifer Stone from Disney’s Wizards of Waverly Place. “Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers” explores the music in the film. Interestingly, the film’s best song, “The Beautiful Briny,” was actually written for Mary Poppins. “A Step in the Right Direction” is a reconstruction of one of the songs that was cut from the film. Several songs ended up on the cutting room floor to keep the running time under two hours. Most of the songs were put back in the 25th anniversary edition, but the picture portion for this song has never been found. There is also a recording session of “Portobello Road” by David Tomlinson.

Bedknobs and Boomsticks doesn’t have as strong of a story or soundtrack as Mary Poppins. The Enchanted Musical Edition contains an extended version of “Portobello Road” and includes several songs I had never seen before. At just a little over two hours, this extended version may be too long and boring for younger viewers. I even got bored at times.

There are several moments that contain terrible audio. At times, it is clearly obvious the voices were recorded later, not even matching the original actors in some segments. The sequences where the live-action blends with animation still looks good and the visit to Naboombu is the highlight of the movie.

Sonny with a Chance - Sonny's Big Break: Volume 1

Written by Pirata Hermosa

This latest release from the Disney Channel is from their Sunday night lineup that also features The Wizards of Waverly Place, Hannah Montana, and Jonas and is mainly geared for a teen audience.

The show’s main character is Sonny Munroe, played by Demi Lovato, who most people remember from the Disney movie, Camp Rock, which also featured the Jonas Brothers. Sonny is about to live every person’s dream, and is leaving her small hometown in Wisconsin for the bright lights of Hollywood. Her Internet broadcasts have caught the eye of television network executives looking to replace a cast member from their hit comedy sketch show, So Random!

The DVD contains four of the episodes from the first season.

“Sketchy Beginnings”: It’s Sonny’s first day on the show and it’s time for her to meet her fellow cast members. Nico (Brandon Smith) and Grady (Doug Brochu) are the typical guys. They like monster trucks, greasy food, and are best friends. Zora (Allisyn Arm) is the strange little girl with the nasally voice, who enjoys hanging out in the sarcophagus or in the air ducts. And finally the last member of the show is, Tawni Hart (Tiffany Thornton), who is the spoiled prom queen and says that she is both the “funny one and the pretty one.” While Sonny is welcomed by most of the cast, Tawni wants nothing to do with the new girl. But Sonny is the nice girl from Wisconsin who wants to get along with everyone, so she tries anything she can think of to win over the pampered princess. Unfortunately, everything she does has the opposite effect. She ends up ruining one of Tawni’s sketches, ripping her favorite cape, shredding her favorite stuffed animal, and knocking her out at the end of the first live TV show.

“West Coast Story”: In this episode Sonny runs into Chad Dylan Cooper (Sterling Knight). He’s the biggest teen heartthrob on the number-one TV show Mackenzie Falls that is filmed in the sound studio next door to So Random! At first this seems like a good thing, but as Sonny quickly learns the two casts hate one another. They’ve had a long standing rivalry for years. Sonny tries to get the two groups together to make peace once and for all, but ends up caught up in the feud. While Chad is the nicest guy on TV, in real life he is the biggest self-centered, egotistical jerk who will do or say anything to get what he wants. In order to teach him a lesson, Sonny challenges him to a contest of the one thing that the cast of So Random! is really good at, musical chairs.

“Cheater Girls”: After a lot of sucking up and ego stroking, Sonny and Tawni have become a little closer and with the new characters that they created called the Check-it-out Girls they have visions of action figures, lunch boxes and feature films dancing in their heads. With things going so well, what could go wrong? Sonny is failing her math classes and her mother (Nancy McKeon) is coming down hard on her. If she doesn’t ace her next math test then she’s no longer going to be on the show. That means the Check-it-out Girls are going to be played by Grady and Nico. Unable to concentrate on her studies, Sonny realizes that she’s not going to pass the test and lets Tawni talk her into cheating. Before the test begins Sonny begins to panic and confesses, resulting in her being taken off the show. As Tawni and Sonny sit around feeling sorry for themselves Sonny suddenly discovers that the answers she wrote on her arm have actually stuck in her brain and the two rush off to take the test before their sketch goes on the air.

“Sonny at the Falls”: Still trying to get revenge from being beaten at musical chairs and to make sure his show remains number one, Chad sees an opportunity to drive a wedge between the cast of So Random! after Sonny pitches an idea for a sketch that is rejected by everyone. Pretending to be on her side, Chad invites Sonny to participate in all the benefits that the Mackenzie Falls cast receives, steak and lobster dinners, pedicures, manicures, massages and they even have their own meditation room. Chad’s plan begins to work as they have a falling out, but shortly afterwards they learn how much they need each other.

The DVD contains three Special Features:

“Mackenzie Falls Season Finale Cliffhanger Short” – Mackenzie Falls isn’t just a faux show on Sonny With A Chance; it has actually been made into webisodes that you can watch on your computer. They have actually turned the finale to a DVD exclusive. Like the webisodes, the acting is really bad and overdramatic. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Mackenzie Falls is supposed to be a spoof on other teen shows like Dawson’s Creek, Gossip Girl, and One Tree Hill.

“Sonny in the Middle” – This is a never-before-released episode. Nico and Grady are the best of friends, such good friends that they even share the same birthday. Knowing how solid their relationship is, and because Tawni won’t help kick in for the present, Sonny buys them the most hi-tech gaming chair on the market and expects them to share it. Of course, her plan completely backfires as the two squabble over the chair resulting in them breaking off their friendship. To make matters worse, the two end up turning to Sonny for companionship and start driving her crazy with their juvenile jokes and by constantly embarrassing her in public. Sonny is forced to come up with one of her crazy plans to bring the two back together and restore their broken friendship.

“Demi’s Big Break” - A brief audition clip for the role of Sonny Munroe interspersed with some scenes from the show. I watched it, and I still don’t understand how a casting director can make a decision based on audition clips. They always seem very odd, and this one is no exception.

Sonny With A Chance is a typical Disney show that is family friendly and contains some good messages. It’s also not just for kids; adults can enjoy it as well even though it has its silly moments. Some of the best aspects of the show are the comments made by Tawni who believes anything can be resolved by how pretty she is and the interaction between Sonny and Chad as they try to one-up the other while dancing around some underlying feelings they have for one another. Those three characters are what make the show interesting, but Sonny truly is the star. She’s a little over the top and a little geeky, but it makes her more relatable to the viewers.

I’ve also noticed that Disney likes to release its shows in volumes instead of seasons. It’s kind of annoying to get a DVD that only has four episodes and not an entire season. I’m not sure if they think it’s more affordable for it to be broken down, but if you end up having to buy five or six volumes I could see the overall price tag being dramatically higher than what you’d buy for one regular season set.

RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN

Written by Hombre Divertido

Hitting shelves on August 4th, less than five months after its theatrical release, is the Dwayne Johnson vehicle Race to Witch Mountain from Disney. Though the story may be based on Alexander Key’s novel Escape to Witch Mountain, it holds few similarities to the 1975 film of the same name. TRace to Witch Mountain is just that: a race, full of car chases, gun fire, explosions, and a terminator-like creature that bares a resemblance to the Predator minus the dreadlocks. Yes, there are two alien children trying to get to their ship, and they do eventually use a Winnebago, but it is hard to find any other resemblance to its 1975 predecessor.

As is the case with many movies directed at children these days, it appears that the philosophy is simply to give them action in lieu of depth. The plot is spelled out early in the film, and it heads towards its destination at a break-neck pace, with little time for any character development. Dwayne Johnson may be a bankable action hero, but lacks the comedic chops to pull off some of the light-hearted moments needed to generate laughs in between car crashes. The children (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) are given little to do here other than act robotic, and never seem to generate any empathy from the audience. Carla Gugino, as a doctor who is an expert on extraterrestrials, is corralled into helping out, but she appears to simply be channeling her character from Snake Eyes, and adds little to the film.

Considering that the cast does include cameos by Kim Richards and Ike Eisenmann who played the young aliens in Escape, you would think that one of them might have mentioned that they worked with a superior script 35 years ago, but apparently they did not, or no one was listening.

The producers may have picked up on the fact that the film was lacking, as they appear to be scrambling to add to the dynamic by throwing in Cheech Marin as an off-duty mechanic, and Garry Marshall as an author of books on aliens. Both talents are wasted as is that of Tom Everett Scott as one of the government agents chasing after the youthful aliens. Even Meredith Salenger makes a cameo giving a shout-out to her Disney roots as news reporter Natalie Gann. Unfortunately, the additional casting does little to help, and the audience spends much of the 99 minutes imagining how casting Bruce Willis, or someone with more comedic experience than Johnson, in the lead would have given the film the comedic elements needed to make it reasonably enjoyable.

The new release comes as a Blu-ray/DVD/digital copy combo, an extended edition DVD/digital copy combo and a single-disc addition. The special Blu-ray bonus “Discover Hidden References” lets you know important facts like the number on the cab that Jack Bruno (Dwayne Johnson) is driving is 1975 because that is the year Escape was released. The blooper reel is almost as forced as the movie itself.

Recommendation: Race to Witch Mountain is not a bad popcorn film if you check your brain at the door, but lacks the depth of story and character possessed by Escape to Witch Mountain. Pick up Escape instead.

The Tigger Movie – 2-Disc 10th Anniversary Edition

Written by Hombre Divertido

Sandwiched between Disney misses Tarzan (1999) and Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) and Pixar hits Toy Story 2 (1999), and Monsters Inc. (2001), Disney managed to keep it simple and successful by returning in 2000 to a tried and true classic found in the Hundred Acre Wood.

The Tigger Movie receives the 10th anniversary treatment in this new 2-disc release that hit shelves on August 4th. Though the new release does include some bonus material, it’s the main feature that sells this product, as this is simply a wonderful film for the whole family. Adults are sure to appreciate the opportunity to return to the land of Christopher Robbins friends that they visited so often as children, and will be happy to share the wonderful message found in The Tigger Movie with their children.

As in most adventures featuring Tigger, we find our hero bouncing from friend's house to friend's house, trying to find someone to play with. With everyone busy preparing for winter, Tigger heads off on his own. After a visit from Roo, and a conversation about family, Tigger sets out to find his. Through the efforts of Pooh, Owl, Rabbit, Eeyore, Piglet, Kanga and Roo, Tigger eventually realizes that he has been surrounded by his family the whole time.

Oh sure, adults will see the message coming a mile away, but will appreciate the energy in the story, the lively animation, and wonderful music.

The bonus material includes two episodes featuring Tigger from the television series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. The Tigger Movie marked the passing of the torch of voicing Tigger from Paul Winchell to Jim Cummings, the current voice of Pooh. Cummings does a fine job, but hearing Winchell voice Tigger in these two shorts, allows you to hear the slightly higher tone and energy of Winchell's Tigger, which had a Snagglepuss quality to it.

Also included in the bonus material is a trivia game which, when all sixteen questions are answered correctly, will allow you to view an all-too-brief clip of a documentary on how the Pooh characters were developed. There is another matching game which will be fun for kids, but since the first game on the menu offered a reward for getting all the answers correct, having a perfect score on the second game yield nothing will be a bit disappointing for the youngsters.

The musical bonus features which basically show the song segments from the movie are fun, but whether or not kids will enjoy having a picture book of the film on DVD that you can have read to you, or read yourself, remains to be seen.

The “How to Make Your Own Family Tree” may to be too basic even for the real young and it mentions checking the web for information, but does not stress asking your parents first before going on the internet. The second disc contains a digital copy of the film.

Recommendation: Hard to go wrong here. The whole gang from the Hundred Acre Wood is back together in a wonderfully told story with a strong message for children and animation reminiscent of the early days of Pooh. Though Sterling Holloway and Paul Winchell are not here, and Sebastian Cabot has been replaced by John Hurt as the Narrator, the new cast does a fine job, and hearing John Fiedler as Piglet will be enough to send you home again.

UP (2009)

Written by Hombre Divertido

Up is too much of a downer.

On May 29th, Disney/Pixar released Up and proved once again that they simply cannot make movies that are consistently funny anymore, or even cute. Yes, some will find it tugging at their heartstrings as dreams become fulfilled, but fundamentally the story is too inconsistent to engage an audience that is looking deep.

Up has some wonderful moments but takes far too long to get going, and has too many violent and unnecessary emotionally depressing moments for children. The trailers clearly denote a comedy, and though it has some very funny moments, it tends to indicate there might be something to hide when the funniest moment in the trailer does not actually make it into the movie.

Hide is exactly what Up does. Behind the veil of a summer animated comedy is a story that is more heavyhanded than other Disney/Pixar offerings, but has comedic moments thrown in that are too obvious and appear to simply be an effort to even things out.

Where Up does shine is in the vocal talent. Though Disney/Pixar has suffered in the past from casting name actors in roles rather than lesser known but more experienced voice actors, Ed Asner does an excellent job as Karl Fredrickson, the 78-year-old man who ties thousands of balloons to his house, and floats away to South America in hopes of finding the place he and his wife had always hoped to visit. Jordan Nagai adds consistent comedic delivery as Russell, the stowaway on Karl's trip, as does Bob Peterson as Dug, one of many talking dogs in the film. Christopher Plummer is fine as the antagonist, but the writing lets him down as the character of Charles Muntz has inconsistent motivation.

The story by Bob Peterson, who co-directed with Pete Docter, is all over the map. The premise is just cute enough for the audience to enjoy, but unnecessary factors continue to get thrown in that will leave you scratching your head. The story is also an emotional roller coaster as it starts out cute, and actually gets depressing before the story even…takes off.

Visually the film is also inconsistent. The film looks good in certain scenes, but seems to lack the attention to detail that was appreciated in other Disny/Pixar endeavors such as Cars.

The fact that Peterson wrote, co-directed, and provided vocal talent, may have proved to be too much and negatively impacted the final product.

Recommendation: The adult audience at the 12:01 am showing appeared to enjoy the film, but children may have a completely different reaction.

As the first animated release of the blockbuster season and first Disney/Pixar release since the highly overrated Wall-E, it’s bound to make a mint over opening weekend. The film is something new and shiny to look at but is inconsistent in its energy, and does not capture the consistent humor of previous Disney/Pixar films such as Toy Story I and II. Finding Monsters vs. Aliens still in the theatres will provide more laughs.

Lilo & Stitch - 2-Disc Big Wave Edition

Written by Hombre Divertido

On March 24th Disney released Lilo & Stitch in a 2-Disc Big Wave edition. This 85-minute animated film was a huge success when it was released in June of 2002, and is still an interesting and visually exciting film, but this new release appears to be, well, stitched together.

Lilo & Stitch take the E.T. formula and turns it upside down as the aggressive and nearly indestructible genetic experiment 626 escapes his prison sentence, makes his way to Earth, and is adopted by the also aggressive Lilo, who loves her unusual-looking dog. Take the antics of the two main characters, throw in Lilo’s overextended guardian and older sister Nani, a mysteriously stern, man-in-black social worker named Cobra Bubbles, and an alien comedy team sent to capture Stitch, put them all in the serene Hawaiian islands, and set all the action to some classic Elvis songs, and you have a film that children are sure to enjoy.

The film has some unusually violent tendencies for a Disney film, as Lilo is certainly not the standard Disney youngster. She hits, bites, and talks back, but the film is about growth and change as both characters display a well-crafted evolution in who they are and how they relate to their environment and those in it. There are some good messages to be found in this film, though parents may need to break it down for children, as the story is a bit busy.

The vocal talents of Daveigh Chase and Tia Carrere, as Lilo and Nani do a wonderful job of capturing the local dialect, as does Jason Scott Lee as the local boy interested in Nani. Co-writer/co-director Chris Sanders has fun creating the sounds emanating from Stitch; and David Ogden Stiers, Ving Rhames, Kevin McDonald, and Kevin Michael Richardson round out a talented cast of vocal artists who bring great energy to this project.

It is the look and sound of the film that will endear it to adults. The watercolors give this film a look that combines the beauty of classic Disney animation with the technology of today, creating images that jump off the screen and settings that draw the viewer in. The imagery is truly some of the best in the Disney vault, and it is hard to go wrong with a soundtrack full of Elvis songs. The entire soundtrack is worth owning as it contains great rock ‘n’ roll along with wonderful songs that are sure to transport you to the islands.

It’s almost seven years since the film hit the big screen and had its eventual DVD release, an animated television series would follow the next year, and then a straight-to-DVD sequel in 2005, so it had to be time for a new release. Disney certainly had enough time to put together something really special, so why does the 2-Disc Big Wave edition seem so thrown together? From no information as to which pieces of material are on which disc, to repetitive content, games listed as samples that aren’t, a ridiculously short hula lesson, and a painfully long documentary, this is a mess.

The reselling of a film on DVD is always about the bonus material, and there is certainly a lot here, but how about putting some effort into the presentation. The second disk is an embarrassment. It loads to an amateurish menu that leads to a documentary which follows the making of the film from inception to premiere, and is exhaustively thorough at over two hours. If that is not enough, the second disk also includes footnotes from the documentary and “Deleted Scenes and Early Versions,” though both features contain a lot of the same material.

The first disk contains the feature as well as some pleasant and educational bonus features including audio commentary featuring producer Clark Spencer and directors/writers Sanders and Dean DeBlois, DisneyPedia: Hawaii – The Islands of Aloha, and the theatrical trailers that creatively inserted Stitch into classic Disney films such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin.

Whereas the documentary on the second disk was too long, some features on the first disc are far too short. The Hula lesson will disappoint kids as it could have easily been a terrific piece by providing some quality instruction rather than the three-minute glance that it is, “Burning Love” is nothing more than watching Wynonna standing in front of a microphone singing the song, and though “A Stitch in Time” is certainly long enough at three minutes, it makes little sense.

Recommendation: If you don’t own the wonderfully edgy Lilo & Stitch, than this is a fine way to add it to your collection. If you do already own the DVD, and really want to know more about the film, there is some quality bonus material here, but the presentation certainly could have been better as could some of the content.

Escape to Witch Mountain & Return From Witch Mountain

Written by Senora Bicho

In conjunction with the release of Disney’s Race to Witch Mountain, the studio has gone back to the vault to re-release Escape to Witch Mountain and Return to Witch Mountain.

Escape was originally released in 1975 and is based on a novel of the same name by Alexander Key. The story follows siblings Tony (Ike Eisenmann) and Tia (Kim Richards) Malone. When we join the kids, they are being dropped off at orphanage due to the death of their foster parents. They standout from the rest of the kids very quickly as Tony jumps to unbelievable heights to catch a ball and we see them able to talk to each other mentally.

One day while in town, Tia has a premonition and approaches Lucas Deranian (Donald Pleasence) to warn him about getting into his car. The car is smashed shortly thereafter and leaves the man very curious. Deranian runs to his employer to report the incident. Aristotle Bolt (Ray Milland) is a millionaire who believes in the supernatural and wants to exploit it to expand his fortune. Deranian and Bolt doctor documents to convince the orphanage that Deranian is the children’s long lost uncle. Tony and Tia are then whisked away to Bolt’s castle. Even though they are tempted by toys and luxury, they know they need to run away and find the place located on a map hidden in Tia’s star case. During their escape they run into Jason O’Day (Eddie Albert) who is traveling cross-country in his Winnebago. The children are able to melt the heart of this crotchety old man and he helps them uncover the truth.

I didn’t remember much about this movie, and after revisiting, I think I must have blocked it out. The story has the potential to be interesting but the acting is bad, the dialogue uninspired, and the children do not elicit any sympathy at all. I found them rather annoying. Eddie Albert was so lovable in Green Acres but in this he is unbelievable in his attempt to be the mean old widower. In addition, the special effects look terrible.

As I started Return, I had hopes that it would be better than its predecessor. Alas, it was not.

Based on an original idea, it is three years later and Tony and Tia are back for a vacation in Los Angeles. Not long after coming into town, Tony saves a man from falling off of a building and is subsequently kidnapped by two observers, Dr. Victor Gannon (Christopher Lee) and Letha Wedge (Bette Davis). Dr. Gannon uses a mind-control device to test out Tony’s powers. He wants to use Tony’s powers to conquer the world but Letha just wants to make money.

Tia, while trying to find Tony, runs into some street kids who are being tormented by another gang. She protects them and in turn they help her search the city for Tony, all the while trying to stay clear of a truant officer, Mr. "Yo-Yo" Yokomoto (Jack Soo). Tia finally finds Tony but gets captured in the process. The street kids then come to Tia’s rescue and together with Mr. Yo-Yo they are off to save Tony and the world.

I will say on a positive note that Tony and Tia are much less annoying in the sequel but that is about all I can say. The story is boring and involves way too many long and drawn-out chases, which was a problem in the first one as well. Also Lee and Davis are completely underutilized as the villains.

The DVDs come with the same Special Features from the 2003 DVD releases and were obviously planned together as they are very similar. Escape has interview segments (“Making the Escape” with the cast all grown up and “Conversations with John Hough”), montages (“1975 Disney Studio Album” presents clips of what the studio was offering that year, and “Disney Sci-Fi” shows clips of science fiction in Disney films), and a cartoon short (“Pluto’s Dream House”). There is also the informative “Disney Effects – Something Special.” Return also has interview segments (“Making the Return trip” and “The Gang’s Back In Town” both present the cast all grown up. A great find is “Lost Treasure: Christopher Lee.” From 1978, it reveals a mustachioed Lee being interviewed and answering question in Spanish with English subtitles on screen.), montages (“1978 Disney Studio Album” updates the slate and “Disney Kids with Powers” shows clips of the aforementioned), and a cartoon short (Donald Duck starring in “The Eyes Have It.”) Both films come with a commentary track by Hough, Eisenmann, and Richards, and each offers an all-new feature that allows facts to pop up on screen.

Disneyphiles may go wild over the Special Features, but I can’t recommend either of the Witch Mountain films. You may want to see what The Rock has cookin’ and try Race instead, if you dare.

BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHUA

Written by Hombre Divertido

Beverly Hills Chihuahua is sure to garner some “Look, Mommy, talking dogs!” comments from young children, but there is little here for anyone over the age of six.

Released on DVD on Tuesday March 3rd from Disney, this story of a spoiled Chihuahua who gets dognapped south of the border features an all-star cast, but that is not always a good thing. Somewhere along the line Disney and other companies producing animated features got the brilliant idea to use popular actors in their films rather that trained voiceover actors. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it does not like Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

Drew Barrymore gives a one-dimensional performance as Chloe, the dainty dog with the high-class digs who gets lost. The rest of the vocal talent simply lacks the energy appropriate for the canines in which they are voicing. The exception would be Cheech Marin as the voice of Manuel the conniving rat, but this comedic genius is given little to say that is actually humorous. Considering that Marin’s performance as a wisecracking Chihuahua in Disney’s Oliver and Company was the bright spot of that film, Marin certainly could have been given a more significant part in this outing.

The humans in the film fare a bit better. Hard to go wrong with Jamie Lee Curtis and Piper Perabo, though the writing tends to let them down. Curtis is given little to do, and Perabo’s character makes a complete transition from a rich, irresponsible, uncaring, young socialite into Violet Sanford from Coyote Ugly over the course of the film, with little motivation. Nonetheless, the two talented actresses are giving their all, and the energy between Perabo and Manolo Cardona as Sam the attractive young Landscaper who, along with his Chihuahua Papi (George Lopez), assists Pearbo in the search for Chloe, results in some of the most endearing moments in the film.

Chloe eventually gets home after making many friends, finding her roots as well as her voice, and love along the way. The film certainly takes some interesting turns as it trots from believability to implausibility in both storytelling and special effects. In certain scenes the latter are actually quite good, but in many scenes they look awful and are certainly not worthy of Disney.

The bonus material is thin, and like the movie is also slated specifically to the very young. The animated short “Legend of the Chihuahua” is awkward at best, the deleted scenes are mildly interesting, but the funniest thing about the blooper reel is that it is titled “Blooper Scooper” which is ironically accurate. The bonus material also includes optional audio commentary by Director Raja Gosnell.

Recommendation: Young children may enjoy the talking dogs, but there is simply not enough comedy here for adults who don’t want to spend 91 minutes watching dogs with cartoon mouths. A simplified story with better special effects and a script with some comedic moments would have better served a wider audience. Skip this one and rent Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.

BEDTIME STORIES (2008)

Bedtime stories are great for kids, and good ones can be fun for adults, but Adam Sandler’s new film Bedtime Stories offers little for either.

Sandler had nowhere to go but up after the summer disaster that was You Don't Mess with the Zohan, and this is certainly a far more enjoyable film, but that isn’t saying much as Zohan is sure to appear on many “Worst of 2008” lists. Bedtime Stories isn’t a bad film, and there is enough (barely) to keep young children entertained, but the writing is far too forced and predictable for adults, and when the stories come to life, they lack the energy and visual impressiveness that we know Disney is capable of.

While babysitting his niece Bobbi (Laura Ann Kesling) and nephew Patrick (Jonathan Morgan Heit), hotel handyman Skeeter (Sandler) realizes that any addition by the kids to the bedtime stories he is crafting for them, actually come true the next day. Skeeter attempts to use this new power to finally get the job he has always wanted. Unfortunately the writing Bedtime Stories breaks down as attempts to justify the additions to the next day’s developments are forced upon the audience with little success.

Sandler manages to give us enough of his standard character to make Skeeter endearing without alienating the young Disney audience, and he is surrounded by a talented but underutilized cast, but there is little range for them to show with the script provided. Keri Russell plays the convenient and obvious love interest. Russell Brand is the comedic sidekick whose reason for being in the film is only less clear than that of the kids’ pet guinea pig Bugsy (Rodent), who possesses digitally enhanced Marty Feldman eyes, and seems to add nothing to the film other than to give kids something to laugh at, like someone making faces at a baby. Courtney Cox, who looks unhealthily thin, plays a Monica-esque sister to Skeeter and Guy Pearce is the stiff antagonist.

So the concept and cast are good, but the execution seems to have been too much for screenwriter Matt Lopez and director Adam Shankman. Perhaps putting more effort into making the visualization of the stories cinematically attractive, and providing the cast with characters that posses some dimension, and less time trying to figure out how to justify the ridiculous plot points thrown in by the children, would have made for an all-around more enjoyable film for the entire family.

Recommendation: This has DVD rental written all over it. There is nothing here for adults, and the visual effects are not worthy of a “see it on the big screen” endorsement.

WALL·E (Three-Disc Special Edition)

Written by Pollo Misterioso

Pixar films have a way of making the familiar, unfamiliar; creating unknown worlds around the ordinary. With Toy Story we entered into the world of the children’s playroom, with Finding Nemo we journeyed underwater where marine life lives like humans but without them, and in A Bug’s Life where the smallest of insects can do the greatest things. Within these beautifully animated worlds, there are always lovable characters that are driven by instinct and simple desires, forming an intricate story that relies on the basics of storytelling and WALL·E is no different, presenting our world as we have never seen it -- hundreds of years into the future, where robots have more humane instincts than us and we can no longer inhabit Earth because of pollution.

WALL·E stands for Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth class -- and his job is to clean up Earth. He is one of the last robots on Earth compacting the trash that has overrun the planet and made humans live on cruise ships in space. Already a very sentimental and caring robot, he finds new inspiration when EVE comes to Earth. She is a robot designed to find life on Earth, making it habitable again. When WALL·E shows her a plant, she shuts down to be picked up and taken to space—where WALL·E ends up following her. EVE’s directive is to deliver the plant, but this would cause the ship to return to Earth and the robots are under different orders.

It is here on the ship that we are given a glimpse of life hundreds of years in the future, when humans are dependent upon robots and technology. The main narrative follows the two robots on the ship, but weaved around it are clear criticisms of our culture as we see what life is like in the future. Everything to eat comes in a cup, nobody walks anymore as they are hover-crafted around -- making the body turn into a giant jellybean, and all communication occurs on a screen in front of you. In a world where technology is cutting more corners, these images hover over you causing you to really think about our own lives. But this movie never alienates or offends the viewer, something that only Disney/Pixar films are able to get away with.

Within this world WALL·E reminds us of the simpler things, even how important handholding can be. His directive changes after he has met EVE, following and protecting her because she gives him hope for love. One of the most beautiful and classic scenes takes place between WALL·E and EVE as they dance in space. They take something familiar and very human and transfer it between machines that are more life-like than people. It is here that they share a spark -- literally touching in a way that connects them by an electrical charge. What looks to be our equivalent to a kiss, it is represented as a deeper connection between two things. Classic.

The story aside, this film is visually incredible. The detail and perspective just in the beginning of the film gives a haunting and desolate look at our Earth. This little machine is the only form of life that maneuvers through the waste (of course he does have another companion who is a cockroach). The first third of the film is without dialogue, relying solely on images and sounds created by our character, developing WALL·E through his actions and movements. Never removing himself from the world created around him, everything is new to us, the way that it is new to WALL·E. His collection of trinkets and “trash” fascinate and amuse him, making his job worth while everyday. It’s funny when he has no idea where to place the spork he has taken home; it is not a fork, not a spoon.

And that is what this film is about: discovery. WALL·E’s understanding of “love” comes from the videotape Hello, Dolly and holding hands—but he soon learns that it takes a lot to get there and EVE also learns that “that is all that love is about.” WALL·E is a simple love story that is pleasing in everyway. But being that Pixar is so crafty, there are deeper and more universal themes that run throughout. Every little detail makes this film fun to watch again and again. So let’s learn something from these robots and enjoy the simpler things.

For those that loved this film, I suggest getting the DVD because the extras are absolutely wonderful. In the 3-disc Special Edition it comes with the film, a bonus disc with more special features and a digital copy that can be uploaded to computers and portable devices. The Bonus features on the first disc are some of my favorite. They include a short film called “BURN·E” which follows the robot BURN·E after he gets locked out of the ship. His story aligns with the narrative in the original film, expanding on what else is going on in the ship. “Presto” is the short film that played before WALL·E in theaters and is one of my favorite Pixar shorts. There are four other featurettes on this disk, including deleted scenes, a tour of the universe, and audio commentary. What I found most interesting was the “Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up.” This explains the intense work that went into making this film. It is really fascinating for anyone that is interested in how they make sounds for films and cartoons.

The second disc is separated for families and for film lovers. There are additional deleted scenes and a section on Buy n Large shorts, giving a background story on how it began. The “Behind the Scenes” feature has six different shorts that explain different parts of the movie, including the score and WALL·E and EVE. One of the best features on this disk is an entire second documentary film called The Pixar Story which shows the beginning of Pixar and its collaboration with Disney. This is a very informative and fun documentary to watch for any Disney fan. For families, the fun featurettes include “Bot Files” which introduce all of the robots, “Lots of Bots” which is a storybook read-along for kids, and my favorite “WALL·E’s Treasures and Trinkets” which are a collection of shorts with WALL·E and all of his gadgets -- it is very funny and worth watching.

TINKER BELL

Written by Senora Bicho

Approximately 11 years ago I became permanently attached to Tinker Bell via a tattoo on my left ankle. She has always been one of my favorite Disney characters since she wasn’t the typical heroine. She was feisty and strong while being considered wide in the hips for usual cartoon females. The new film Tinker Bell has me seriously thinking about tattoo removal.

The story is simple, it begins with how Tinker Bell came into existence and introduces us to the world of fairies and their home, Pixie Hollow. Each fairy has a special talent that is utilized for the changing of the seasons on the mainland. Tinker Bell is a tinker and is responsible for building items to aid the other fairies in their work and therefore doesn’t get to travel to the mainland. Tinker Bell soon comes to the conclusion that her job is boring and wants to learn another talent so that she can go with everyone else to turn winter into spring. Thus the adventure begins.

Disney has had many years to come up with a story for Tinker Bell; what they have come up with is boring and simplistic. I was trying to watch the movie through the eyes of a young girl and I think even they will be bored. Good messages are provided about learning to appreciate who you are and what makes you special, but they could have come up with a more interesting story to convey those messages.

Tinker Bell was made using 3-D digital animation which is vastly different from the traditional animation used for Peter Pan. The background colors and scenery look fantastic but the fairies look strange and Tinker Bell just doesn’t look right. And, yes, she speaks. I understand a movie with just jingling wouldn’t work but it certainly takes a little getting used to. Tinker Bell is voiced by a relatively unknown actress Mae Whitman who will probably be best recognized by children watching the movie as she was Katara in the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. Angelica Houston, America Ferrera, Lucy Liu and Kristin Chenoweth also lend their voices to the film.

There are a few special features on the DVD. “Magical Guide to Pixie Hollow” explores all of the different areas of the fairies' home, “Ever Wonder” shows how fairies impact nature, and “Tinker Trainer” is a DVD-ROM activity. There is also a music video for “Fly to your Heart,” one of the songs from the film sung by Selena Gomez. “Creating Pixie Hollow” is a ten-minute making-of and there also three deleted scenes with optional commentary by director Bradley Raymond and producer Jeannine Roussel.

Tinker Bell is one of Disney’s most popular characters and I really wish they would have put a little more time and effort into a more thoughtful and creative movie but I have no doubt that it will do well. Disney is certainly counting on it since they already have three sequels in the works. As a Tinker Bell fan, I was extremely disappointed and am anxious to pop Peter Pan into the DVD player in hopes of wiping Tinker Bell from my mind as quickly as possible.

The Sword in the Stone (45th Anniversary Special Edition)

Written by Senora Bicho

I admit it; I am a bit biased when it comes to the classic Disney animated films. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the newer films too, and especially everything from Pixar, but the older films feel like coming home and offer an innocent charm. The Sword in the Stone is no exception. I have not watched this movie in a long time but always remembered it fondly. The new 45th anniversary edition lived up to those fond memories.

The Sword in the Stone is the story of Arthur, the boy who would be king. The story is set in historic England at a time of great unrest. The King has died with no heir and no one can agree on a successor, which places a dark cloud over the country. One day a miracle occurs and a sword miraculously appears in a stone. The engraving states that whoever can pull the sword out of the anvil will be king. Many try unsuccessfully and so the sword was soon long forgotten.

Cut to Merlin the Magician who is anxiously awaiting a houseguest. His grouchy companion owl, Archimedies, accompanies him. Arthur, an 11-year-old boy, who lives with his foster father and brother, soon joins them. He is basically their slave and has ambitions to be a squire. Merlin explains that he is to be his mentor and will teach him how to use his brain instead of focusing on brawn. Merlin and Arthur go on several adventures as Arthur learns many valuable life lessons. The best scene of the film is when Arthur competes in a wizards’ duel with Mad Madam Mim and proves the benefits of higher learning and brainpower.

The story is simple but offers a good message. The characters are entertaining and engaging and are set within a solid and interesting story. Archimedies has always been my favorite and still steals the show. There are very few songs but those included are fun. The animation looks terrific. The picture is crisp with bright colors. The sound is also nice clear.

There are not too many extras offered in the new edition. First is the only new item offered, “Merlin’s Magical Academy Game” that includes many different activates as players try to earn shields. All of the rest of the bonus features were on previous editions.

“Bonus Movie Shorts” includes Goofy in “A Knight for a Day” and Mickey Mouse in “The Brave Little Tailor.” “Disney Song Selection” allows viewers to jump right to their favorite song and also puts the words on the screen for sing-a-longs.

“Music Magic: The Sherman Brothers” highlights the incredible musical talent behind the movie. The Sherman Brothers were involved with many Disney movies and they appear in the extras on many of the classic Disney films. The brothers are included in the featurette and share about their experiences.

“Backstage Disney” includes a featurette called “All About Magic” and has Walt Disney talking viewers on a journey through a magic property room. It also includes a scrapbook of the artwork from the film along with film facts.

I can’t speak to the difference in picture and sound quality in this edition as compared to the last edition since this is the first time I have watched it on DVD but it isn’t mind-blowing to look at or listen to as compared to other films that have been re-mastered recently. I didn’t think it was that different from my old VHS copy really. If you already own “The Sword in the Stone” on DVD I don’t see any reason to add this one to your collection. Compared to animated films that come out these days, children may be bored by this but as a kid at heart I still enjoy this one even just to pop it in on occasion to watch a few of my favorite scenes.

THE ARISTOCATS (Special Edition)

Written by Senora Bicho

The Aristocats has always been one of my favorite Disney cartoons, so when given the chance to review this new special edition DVD, I pounced! The film was originally released in 1970 and then re-released in 1980 and 1987. It was first made available on VHS in 1996 and then on DVD in 2000, which was then discontinued in 2006. This new special edition set was originally announced as a 2-disc set but upon release is actually only 1-disc.

The story takes place in Paris in 1910 and revolves around a high society cat, Duchess, and her three kittens: Marie, Toulouse, and Berlioz. They are owned by Madame Adelaide Bonfamille, a retired opera singer. Since she is getting up there in age, she asks her lawyer to draw up her will leaving everything to her cats with her butler, Edgar, to inherit once the cats have all passed. After overhearing this information, Edgar decides to get rid of the kittens to clear the way to his inheritance. He drugs the cats and heads out into the country to drop them off. A run-in with some country dogs causes Edgar to lose the cats and go running back into town. The cats, now lost, are on their own. Luckily, they run into a friendly alley cat, Thomas O'Malley, who rescues them and takes them on the adventure of their lives. This wouldn’t be a true Disney animated film if there wasn’t some romance thrown in too.

The Aristocats offers a host of well-known and beloved Disney voiceover regulars along with some new ones. Thomas O’ Malley is voiced by Phil Harris who voiced Baloo in The Jungle Book and Little John in Robin Hood. Pat Buttram perfectly plays the hound dog, Napoleon, and can also be found in Robin Hood, The Rescuers, and The Fox and the Hound. Paul Winchell, the famous voice of Tigger from the Winnie the Pooh movies, makes a brief appearance as a Siamese cat. The newcomers include Eva Gabor, who beautifully plays Duchess as an extension of her character on Green Acres, and Scatman Crothers as Scat Cat, the leader of an alley cat band.

The music in The Aristocats is definitely not as strong as other Disney films. The best song by far is “Everybody Wants to be a Cat”. It is a great jazz number and while the song is great on its own, the scene accompanying it is the best part of the film. The colors look fantastic and it is fun to watch. The only other song worth mentioning is the title song sung by Maurice Chevalier. This was his last performance and the songwriters were able to talk him into coming out of retirement to sing it. He is perfect in setting the tone and atmosphere during the opening credits.

The new Special Edition looks great. While the animation is older and rougher, the visuals work to create the look of Paris 1910, more specifically the paintings of the time. The extras are not overly exciting unless you have small children. There is a deleted scene, which one of the songwriters discusses, and the original sketches and storyboards are shown during the song. It was a good decision to cut it from the film as it didn’t really add anything. A cartoon featuring Figaro, the cat from Pinocchio, is also included, it is a weak choice and I would never watch it again.

“Music and More” provides the ability to jump to any song and play that scene. You can also add lyrics to the bottom of the screen during all of the songs while watching the movie to make your own karaoke.

“Backstage Disney” includes “The Sherman Brothers” which provides interviews with them and additional information on the film’s music. The Sherman brothers were staff songwriters at Disney for many years and their additional credits include Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and many more. There is also a scrapbook and an excerpt from an old show entitled The Great Cat Family hosted by Walt Disney.

“Games and Activities” allows viewers to adopt their own kitten and care for it while playing “Disney Virtual Kitten,” and kids can play along and learn the names of musical instruments in “The Aristocats Fun with Language Game”.

The Aristocats is not as good as lot of the other Disney films released around the same time such as The Jungle Book, Robin Hood, and The Rescuers, but it is still fun and entertaining for the whole family.