Release Info:
Theatrical Release: March 5, 2010
DVD Release Date: June 1, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $

I don’t get a chance to go to the movie theater all that often, but I did get the chance to see Alice in Wonderland in IMAX 3D. I must admit, I’m not in love with IMAX 3D, for the mere fact that my chair has to be parked close to the front of the theater, and I’m so close that objects walk through me and fly at me in terrifyingly close proximities. Hey, some people dig it. I’m not in love with it. That being said, I dug the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland.

I have a confession. When I was a little kid, I saw a television version of Alice in Wonderland. It featured a lot of big names including Carol Channing and Sammy Davis Jr. I watched that movie so many times growing up, but for a long time, I was terrified of the Jabberwocky in this movie. I was a mere four years old, at the time this movie was released. Years later, I laugh at myself for what looked like nothing more than a bunch of plastic garbage bags sealed together, but to my four year old mind, the Jabberwocky was terrifying. In the 2010 Alice in Wonderland, the Jabberwocky has come to CGI life with an exceedingly terrifying appearance. This is much more nightmare worthy than the Jabberwocky of my day.

The performance by Johnny Depp, as the Mad Hatter, is excellent. He brings this eccentric, mad side to the Hatter, and yet he makes him completely likable, as well. Depp and Burton work well together. This is why I believe they have partnered up for so many movies. Burton helps to bring out the best in Depp. He also does a nice job of making Bonham Carter completely unlikable, and the big head for her character was a nice touch. Sure, she is his partner, but let’s be honest. Bonham Carter can act. I also want to bring up Anne Hathaway. If I’ve learned anything from years of theatre classes, it’s about various periods in history. The daintiness of Hathaway reminded me of our own performances of The Country Wife in my spring Classic Styles class. Hathaway is radiant as an actress in this, but she deserves kudos also for the obvious work that went into her physical portrayal of her character. It added a special something to the White Queen character.

The story is a mishmash of many different incarnations of Lewis Carroll’s original story and it’s many adaptations. Do not come into this expecting to see a story that follows the book. Alice is no longer a child. This explores her return to Wonderland as adult pressures start to pile upon her, making her run away from her obligations and thus re-falling down the rabbit hole. If you expect to see a by the book adaptation of this, you will be disappointed. However, never before have the characters of Wonderland been portrayed in such a visually sharp way.

The Alice in Wonderland Plot
Charles Kingsleigh (Csokas) is having a meeting with several men about investing in a crazy, new, business endeavor. The meeting is interrupted by six year old Alice (Challen), who has had another bad dream. The dreams are always the same, and reflect her time in the fictional Wonderland. After her father reassures her it is just a dream, and she can always pinch herself to wake herself up, she is ready to go back to sleep.

The scene skips forward to 19 year old Alice (Wasikowska), in a carriage with her mother, Helen (Duncan). They are heading to the home of Lord and Lady Ascot. Their son, Hamish, a big toothed, ginger, with digestive problems, is planning to propose to Alice. Alice, not down with the Victorian era conventions she’s supposed to uphold, isn’t sure she is ready to be married, though her sister, Margaret believes it is for the best. She doesn’t want Alice to end up like their batty, old maid, Aunt Imogene, after all.

While people are talking to Alice at what is to be her engagement party, she sees a White Rabbit with a pocket watch.Unable to resist, she follows it into a rabbit hole, and falls down a long way into a room. There are many locked doors and only one way to get out. With the key that goes to a tiny door. After drinking and eating and drinking and shrinking and growing and shrinking, Alice is able to exit into Underland. Once there, Alice learns that a girl named Alice, has been there before, though Alice is certain she’s not the right one.

With the Red Queen (Bonham Carter) ruling Underland with a dictator-like iron fist, Underland has been under her oppressive hand for years. The future has been dictated on the oraculum. The Alice who called this place Wonderland will destroy the Jabberwocky with the vorpal sword, and restore the White Queen (Hathaway) back to power.

Whether Alice is the Alice of the prophesy does not seem to matter. The Red Queen’s henchman, Stayne (Glover) and her army of playing cards have her set in their sights for capture. It is up to the Mad Hatter (Depp), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Lucas), the Cheshire Cat (Fry), White Rabbit (Sheen), Blue Caterpillar (Rickman), and a selection of other allies to the White Queen to help Alice discover her true destiny and who she really is, after all.

Storyline/Plot: 4 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
If all Blu-Rays were as beautiful as Alice in Wonderland I wouldn’t ever have to bother with recommending them because you would just know that you had to buy the good movies. Unfortunately, this has not happened yet, but while we wait, we have the quality of our dreams right here. The majority of this movie utilizes digital shots and the source material is as pristine as you would expect a new film to be. This allows for an absolutely flawless picture. Everything offers extremely vivid colorizations and amazing detail. Even the scenes that were shot in live film look fabulous. However, it is the Wonderland scenes, the digitally enhanced moments, that truly stand out and leave one in awe.

Part of the world is completely dark and dreary like you would expect one of Burton’s worlds to be. Other parts are filled with colors and rich works of art set to screen. In any case, this transfer is nothing less than a feast for the eyes. There are no compression errors and I did not spot any type of error anywhere in the visual portion of the film. Once again Disney and Burton have put together a shockingly beautiful film.

Like the video track, the audio is here to make sure that you have an amazing time with a completely involving soundtrack. Strength and power abound throughout this audio presentation and yet there manages to be subtlety in all of the right moments. The DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless track that is used would be nice for all Blu-Ray presentations. The dialogue is always crisp, clean, and easy to hear no matter how loud the bustling sound effects are or how powerful the music score tends to be when it takes off in some moments.

Every bit of background noise offers a whole new layer. The flies buzz in your ears causing you to want to swat them away. The Jabberwocky roars and you sit at attention watching in awe. It truly is an amazing presentation. Partly because every detail has been considered and it shows and partly because it seems to be absolutely free of defects, which is rare. Dolby tracks are also included in French and Spanish. English, French, and Spanish subtitles have also been included.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
I have to say I was shocked to see that Alice in Wonderland was missing some key special features. Sure, you get the Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital copy. Yes, there are about twelve featurettes here. However, can you believe that a commentary is missing?!? Of all the commentaries that I would have liked to hear, this would be one of them. Where are all of the Alice in Wonderland documentaries or anything at all relating to the history? Nowhere. There are none of those things here.

You get some new featurettes and some previews and that’s about all. The featurettes are split and placed under two specific headings. The information for both sets is listed below.

Wonderland Characters:
All of these featurettes, six in total, consist of information about the characters in Wonderland. Four of the featurettes, Finding Alice, The Mad Hatter, The Red Queen, and The White Queen all offer interviews with the respective actors. Time Lapse: Sculpting the Red Queen takes a look at the three hours that Helena Bonham Carter spent in the make-up chair. Of course, this segment only lasts for a few minutes. Finally, there is The Futterwacken, which gives you the low down on the dance that The Matter Hatter performs near the end of the movie. These are all fairly fluffier than I was expecting. They are alright to watch, but they aren’t anything spectacular.

Making Wonderland:
In the last six featurettes you get about 20 minutes worth of material that looks at all that went into making this film. Scoring Wonderland looks at Danny Elfman, the composer, doing what he does best. Effecting Wonderland is dedicated to the visual effects that went into bringing this visual masterpiece to life. Meanwhile, in Stunts of Wonderland you get a chance to see the physical work that each actor put into his role and what the stunt people did and went through. In Making the Proper Size, you get a chance to see how digital manipulation allowed Alice to shrink or grow given the scene. You also get a chance to see how it plays a part in making Helena Bonham Carter appear as if she has a huge head. The lasts two featurettes, Cakes of Wonderland and Tea Party Props are dedicated to production design.

Finally, there is a selection of previews for Beauty and the Beast, James and the Giant Peach, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and other films.

Bonus Features: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Alice in Wonderland is a visual masterpiece. Whether you will like the actual movie depends on how you feel about Tim Burton. Burton has his fans and his foes. I don’t mind his unique film vision. I do not feel this is a remake, but rather a re-imaging and extension of the story by Lewis Carroll. This exceptional take on what happens after Alice has already been to Wonderland once, is fun. However, since many do not love Burton, I recommend unless you like his previous films, you should rent before buying, just to make sure it is your cup of tea.

Overall Rating: 4.36 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Alan Rickman, Marton Csokas, Disney, Movie Review, Bluray, BD Review, Alice in Wonderland

STARS: Uma Thurman, Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Rosario Dawson

SPECS: Audio: English: 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio / Spanish: 5.1 Dolby Digital / French: 5.1 Dolby Digital
Language: Dubbed: English, French & Spanish /
Subtitled: English & Spanish
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: Widescreen: 2.35:1

BONUS FEATURES: Disc 1: Theatrical Feature
**10 Deleted Scenes
**Secrets of the Gods
**Discover Your Powers Quiz
**The Book Comes to Life

**Inside Camp Half-Blood
**On Set with Brandon T. Jackson
**Meet the Demigods
**Composing for the Gods: A Conversation with Christophe Beck
Disc 2: DVD
Disc 3: Digital Copy

Technorati Tags: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lightening Thief, Bluray Details, Screenshots, Synopsis, Bluray Special Features

In Nanny McPhee Returns, Oscar®-winning actress and screenwriter Emma Thompson returns to the role of the magical nanny who appears when she’s needed the most and wanted the least in the next chapter of the hilarious and heartwarming fable that has enchanted children around the world.

In the latest installment, Nanny McPhee appears at the door of a harried young mother, Mrs. Isabel Green (Maggie Gyllenhaal), who is trying to run the family farm while her husband is away at war. But once she’s arrived, Nanny McPhee discovers that Mrs. Green’s children are fighting a war of their own against two spoiled city cousins who have just moved in and refuse to leave.

Relying on everything from a flying motorcycle and a statue that comes to life to a tree-climbing piglet and a baby elephant who turns up in the oddest places, Nanny McPhee uses her magic to teach her mischievous charges five new lessons.

Release date: August 20, 2010
Rating: PG
Genre: Family Comedy
Based upon the “Nurse Matilda” books by: Christianna Brand
Website: http://www.nannymcphee.com ( **coming soon**)
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/nannymcpheereturns

Technorati Tags: Movie, Screenshots, Synopsis, Upcoming Release, Nanny McPhee Returns, Sequel

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: July 2, 1986
DVD Release Date: April 13, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $13.46

Of all the Disney movies out there, this is the worst of them. Even then, it is not bad, per se. The Great Mouse Detective just does not hold a candle to classics like Lady and the Tramp, The Fox and the Hound or even The Rescuers. When it comes to rodent-based, animated features, I much prefer the latter or sometimes I like to pop in An American Tale. Fievel Mouskawitz always amuses me and the kids. The Great Mouse Detective just serves to midly entertain if not slightly bore us.

I admit it. I had never seen The Great Mouse Detective prior to this viewing. I don’t know where I was during the 80s, that I missed seeing this Disney flick, but apparently it escaped my viewing. Back then, I was around the age of 8 or 9, so I was still into Disney movies. I can’t say I missed this movie, because chances are, I won’t put it in again unless the kids ask me to watch it. I would only watch it again for them.

As I said. it isn’t that this is a horrible movie. I just wasn’t enthralled with it. I can watch many of Disney’s animated features from the 80s and before, over and over again. I’m not sure what it is about The Great Mouse Detective that made me lose interest in it. The story tries to be engaging and when it was released, it received great ratings from critics. Perhaps it is that young Olivia is not as engaging as the other, young anthropomorphic characters of animated features of the same time period.

Ultimately, I think that The Great Mouse Detective is overshadowed by better executed animated features by Disney and other studios. I certainly remember hearing more about The Rescuers, Stuart Little (in its various in carnations), and An American Tail. While I can sit through The Great Mouse Detective, it is not going to be an animated feature I set out to watch on my own.

The Great Mouse Detective Plot
The Great Mouse Detective takes place in London around the turn of the 20th century. In 1897, Olivia Flaversham, a Scottish mouse, is celebrating her birthday with her father, Hiram. The festivities are interrupted when Hiram, a toymaker, is kidnapped from their workshop/home, by a special needs (crippled wing/peg leg) bat named Fidget.

Fidget takes Hiram to the secret hideout of Professor Ratigan, an evil rodent who wants Hiram to create and run a robot, for a specific, nefarious purpose. In the meantime, Olivia has tried to find Basil of Baker Street, the greatest mouse detective, who she wants to find her missing father. Basil does not want to take the case, initially, but he soon realizes this has something to do with his archnemesis, Ratigan, a rodent he’s never had the opportunity to bring down.

Basil has the help of Dr. Dawson, who has just returned from a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He found Olivia on the street and helped her find Basil, so he is invested in helping the girl. With the three on the search for Hiram, their plans of reuniting him with Olivia and bringing down Ratigan are further complicated when Hiram refuses to help Ratigan. To force Hiram to do his bidding, Ratigan sends Fidget out to kidnap Olivia, and if necessary, feed her to Ratigan’s cat.

Not only do Basil and Dawson have to prevent harm from coming to Olivia, they also have to figure out what Ratigan’s bigger scheme is and how they can stop him.

Storyline/Plot: 3 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 2.5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 3 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
This version of The Great Mouse Detective is offered in an anamorphic setting with an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. How this matches up to the older quality I honestly cannot say because this is my first time seeing it. What I can say is there is a noticeable difference between the quality of the movie and the original title screen though, so it’s obvious they did clean it up at least a little. There is not too much to complain about in the video quality. Things are fairly detailed and pretty sharp overall. There were no glaring distractions worth noting. The coloring is good and while the blacks aren’t perfect they aren’t weak enough to annoy.

As for the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, it’s not anything to write home about but in most cases it gets the job done. Like most kid’s movies out there the surround sound is barely touched and while the sound passes, it’s hardly strong. With what was utilized here the studio could have gotten away with using a 2.0 track and saving some money. Subtitles for The Great Mouse Detective are available in English, Spanish, and French.

Visual: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a few special features here. Some of them appear to be older and others are new. I can’t really say what, if anything, has been left out, but I am sure there are some differences in what was offered and is now. Things begin with “So You Think You Can Sleuth.” This featurette offers information on the life of a detective and various notable institutions like Scotland Yard. The Pinkertons and Sherlock Holmes are also discussed. This one is more for the kids and it should hold their attention for the most part.

The original DVD features that have been ported over include “The Making of The Great Mouse Detective” and “The World’s Greatest Criminal Mind.” In the making of featurette you get to take a look back to when the movie was filmed. A lot of attention is paid to the voice cast that appears in the movie. Some of the other topics tackled include computer animation and a few more fluffier aspects like what it was like making the film with everyone else that was on board. Meanwhile, “The World’s Greatest Criminal Mind” is a two minute sing along of Ratigan’s song from the film. Kids can sing along with the song as lyrics are provided and change color as the lyrics are being sung.

The only other special features (and I use that term loosely) on this disc are a Blu-ray promo that includes the Sprouse brothers with their mom and a ton of previews for such movies as Toy Story 3, Toy Story and Toy Story 2 Blu Ray, Tinker Bell and The Great Fairy Rescue, Beauty and the Beast: Diamond Edition, and a few others.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Great Mouse Detective features the original title for the first time since it was released in 1986. If you already own a copy of it, it might be worth it to upgrade, but it isn’t necessary. I didn’t really enjoy The Great Mouse Detective, but I know other parents who do like this movie. I recommend you rent it before you purchase it, if you have never seen it. If you know you want this, and don’t own it, this edition is as good as any.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Great Mouse Detective, DVD Review, Disney, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Animation, Cartoon, Basil of Baker Street

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: November 24, 1999
DVD Release Date: March 23, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $27.99

I had my son in the 90s, which was the perfect time to have a child, because this is the time when Pixar started making movies. My son was obsessed with Toy Story from the moment he was old enough to watch animated features. I’d seen the original hundreds of times by the time Pixar made Toy Story 2. My son was still little when 2 came out, so I had high hopes and expectations. Would Toy Story 2 live up to its predecessor?

I am of the firm belief that it is incredibly hard for any sequel to top the original film. Usually, sequels just do not live up to the wonderfulness of an original, film classic. I was pleasantly surprised by how good Toy Story 2 was. It is hard to compare to the original Toy Story. That movie was just amazing, but I really liked the sequel and my son loved it, too. I saw a resurgence in his Toy Story obsession and we spent many days rewatching his original Toy Story VHS and later the Toy Story 2 VHS, once it was released.

Pixar has been my favorite animation studio ever since I saw Toy Story. I love their animated features. They are well written, have great stories, and they do not dumb anything down for kids. This is why I believe that adults enjoy these movies as much as their children. I grew weary of sugar-induced, color and light flashing, put you in a coma animations that kids were watching, but I never grew tired of curling up with my son and watching a great Pixar movie.

Now, my son is a teenager. He seems almost too old for Toy Story, but he still watches it. He plans to see Toy Story 3 when it comes to theaters. I know that this, and other Pixar animated films will be movies I can watch and enjoy with him, even as he is becoming older and not as interested in kid stuff. That’s the legacy Pixar has created for themselves and I both applaud them and thank them for providing my son, my family, and myself with countless hours of family-friendly, feel good, entertainment.

The Toy Story 2 Plot
Woody is excited because Andy is taking him to cowboy camp. Unfortunately, when he grabs Woody, his arm tears. Andy’s mom offers to fix him, but Andy claims he’s just too old, and heads off to cowboy camp, alone. Woody is crushed, especially when he is shelved by Andy’s mom.

Finding other shelved, broken toys, Woody is upset by the prospect of being retired as one of Andy’s toys. Wheezy the Penguin is amongst the toys and he is boxed and taken by Andy’s mom out to a yard sale. Determined to save Wheezy, Woody heads out to the sale, only to be discovered by Al the Toy Collector. Al tries to buy Woody, but Andy’s mom won’t sell him. Al ends up stealing him as his toy friends, including Buzz Lightyear, watch in horror.

Woody is taken to Al’s apartment where he meets other toys that include Jessie the yodeling cowgirl, Stinky Pete the Prospector, and Bullseye, Woody’s faithful horse. Woody soon discovers that he was a part of a television show that was popular a long time ago and it featured Bullseye, Pete and Jessie.

Woody must struggle between his loyalty to Andy, trying to befriend a hostile Jessie, and the prospect of being immortalized in a toy museum. In the meantime, Buzz and the rest of Andy’s toys set out to save Woody and bring him home before Andy returns from camp.

Storyline/Plot: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The visual quality of Toy Story 2 is amazing. This does not look like a film that is a decade old. Toy Story 2 is released on Blu-Ray with a 1080p screen resolution and AVC MPEG-4 codec. The film is featured on a 50G, Dual-layer BD (BD-50) and features a 1.78:1 aspect ratio. This is an excellent transfer. Black levels are solid, colors are vibrant and rich, and the animation transitions are smooth.

One thing I like about Toy Story 2 on Blu-Ray is the amount of detail. Everything is clear. The film is free of most visual anomalies. Pixar has always offered outstanding animation and this Blu-Ray just highlights how good they’ve been from the beginning. This High-Definition, CG animated film is as good as it gets, visually, on Blu-Ray.

When it comes to the audio quality for Toy Story 2, the DTS-HD 5.1 delivers. There is also a DTS-HD 2.0 Stereo track. While there is a lot of dialogue, sound effects and music are also quite prominent. Everything sounds fantastic. The dialogue is driven through the center, front speakers, while the sound effects are primarily back speaker driven. Any musical accompaniment moves between the front and the back comfortably. Everything is incredibly dynamic, which makes for an all around, awesome soundtrack.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
As you would expect from any Pixar movie Toy Story 2’s selection of bonuses is not going to disappoint you in any way. There is a lot to see and go through here and much of it should be fun for both adults and kids that love the Toy Story franchise. Along with all of the awesome special features you have access to BD Live, which allows you to connect to various forms of online content. You also have access to the DVD version of the film, which also looks quite good. As you would expect there is an audio commentary here, just like in the first film. Like in the original, this commentary is interesting and worth the listen.

Toy Story 3 Sneak Peek: The Characters – In this four minute special feature, you get a chance to learn about the returning characters and the new characters that will be in Toy Story 3. On the Toy Story special features there is a similar special feature, though it focuses on the story in the film.

Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: International Space Station – Kids will enjoy watching the astronauts on the space station with their Buzz Lightyear toy heading into outer space.

Paths to Pixar: Technical Artists – This feature pays homage to the artists that have been with the art department for years. They talk about how they got started and what they are doing today. Like the other features, this is pretty interesting whether you’re into the more technical features or not.

Studio Stories – This is a three part series including Sleep Deprivation Lab, Pinocchio, and The Movie Vanishes. These are short clips that tell stories about making the movie. They are funny and occasionally worry inducing, especially the last one where the staff thought they lost the movie!

Pixar’s Zoetrope – This is one of the most amusing features in this set. Two of the Disney Parks has the Zoetrope, which is something that is used to make animation understandable to the average person.

Celebrating Our Friend Joe Ranft – This 13 minute feature offers a touching look at Joe Ranft, late animator for Pixar and one of the biggest parts of the team in the past. Fans of Pixar are going to love this!

Making Toy Story 2 – This was available on the DVD release. It’s the standard making of type of release that many DVDs offer.

John Lasseter Profile – Here you get a chance to check out the director/writer of the film. This is nice because Lasseter is one of the most common names associated with Pixar in a behind the scenes sense so it gives people a chance to know more about him.

Other features that were ported over include Cast of Characters and the Toy Box, which includes Outtakes, Jesse’s Gag, Who’s the Coolest Toy, Riders in the Sky Music Medley, and Autographed Pictures. Wrapping things up are two Design Galleries, a section on Music & Sound, one on Publicity, and four minutes of Deleted Scenes.

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Toy Story 2 is not better than Toy Story, but it does live up to the original film in nearly every way. If you are looking for an entertaining movie series to watch with your kids, this one is highly recommended. I’ve seen both Toy Story movies hundreds of times and never grow tired of them. As far as Blu-Ray’s go, this one is fantastic. It looks good and is full of bonus features. What more could you want for this Pixar classic?

Overall Rating: 4.93 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Toy Story 2, Combo Pack. Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Andy, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Animation, Disney, Pixar, Movie Review, Blu-ray

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: November 22, 1995
DVD Release Date: March 23, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

I have a confession. I never saw Toy Story when it first came out. I had never seen it prior to receiving it in Blu-Ray. I was almost 15 years old and too cool for a kiddie-movie. I do know once my son (stepson technically) was little he loved this movie and my girlfriend, Ashtyn, loved it. Now that I’m older and have kids, I’m not embarrassed when watching kid movies, especially not ones by Pixar.

The studio behind Toy Story is known for the excellent, family friendly, animated features it creates. I’ve seen nearly all of the other Pixar movies. From Finding Nemo to UP, each Pixar film is made with exquisite amounts of care, a dedicated animation team, and magnificent storytelling. Knowing the legacy Pixar has created with its animated movies, I was actually looking forward to checking out Toy Story. I can admit that.

The thing I liked the most about Toy Story is how well both adults and children can relate to it. We all have/had our favorite toys we’ve taken through the war with us. These toys have seen many battles, comforted us during sickness, and brought joy to our lives. As parents, we now see the joy such toys bring our own children. Toy Story takes me back to my childhood in that warm, squishy, feel good kind of way.

Also, Toy Story features a great voice cast. Tom Hanks as Woody and Tim Allen as Buzz make this story really come alive. It’s a cool premise and the story for Toy Story has allowed this film to become and remain a classic. Today, a new generation of young children are enjoying Toy Story, just as my son did when he was little, ten or so years ago. It is this timeless nature that makes Toy Story worth adding to any DVD collection.

The Toy Story Plot
Woody, the toy cowboy has been Andy’s favorite toy for years. All the other toys know it and Woody feels a sense of pride, and perhaps even a little arrogance over being the favorite. With it being Andy’s birthday, all of the toys are wondering what Andy will get. Woody isn’t too worried, until he meets Andy’s newest present, Buzz Lightyear.

Buzz is shiny, high-tech, and the latest fad. Andy doesn’t even notice Woody has been knocked off his usual perch on the bed, because he’s so excited about his new Buzz Lightyear. Buzz is a strange toy who does not realize he is a toy, so he spends most of the time believing all of the cool features of his television persona are true about him.

The older, old fashioned Woody is jealous and finds a way to knock Buzz out of the window, to try and get rid of him. When the two get lost together, trying to find their way back to Andy, they fall into the clutches of Andy’s sadistic, toy torturing neighbor, Sid. With Andy’s family moving away in just a day, Woody and Buzz must work together to get back to the boy who truly loves them both.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
For a film that is 15 years old it is amazing to see Toy Story looking like it came out last year! This film sports 1080p AVC encode with 1.78:1 aspect ratio and it looks fabulous! The colors are bright, the details are pristine, and the blacks are strong. You truly could not ask for more in any film. I did not notice any flaws. There were no issues with noise or compression errors. There is no doubt of the quality that you will see here. The toys look so real that you’ll think they are the toys from your childhood. Kids will love the bright, multi-dimensional colors, and the whole family will be thrilled with the quality that you see.

Like the video presentation, the audio here is definitely nothing to complain about. The 5.1 DTS-HD MA track is phenomenal to say the least. The audio might be less dynamic, but multiple channels are used and it provides for a fun and in depth experience. The dialogue is animated, the sound effects are impressive, and the music is enjoyable to listen to. Nothing is ever too loud when the sounds are combined so you won’t have any problem hearing some elements and not others. The best thing about this is that every person that watches Toy Story is going to get something new and exciting from it. This is the point where I would list any negative issues with the audio presentation, but there really is nothing to list. Along with the English audio there are audio tracks in both Spanish and French Dolby 5.1. Subtitles are available in English, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Disney and Pixar films always get the first class treatment when it comes to DVD special features. Toy Story is certainly not going to be an exception. First, this Blu-ray comes with an additional DVD copy. In addition to the new special features that were added to this Blu-ray, you also get the classic DVD features along with the new ones. To make things easier, the older features are listed under the Classic DVD Bonus Features. There is also a Sneak Peak Toy Story 3: The Story section so that you can learn more about the upcoming film.

Audio Commentary: This commentary is literally filled with people weighing in. Among the participants are John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Ralph Eggleston, Bill Reeves, Ralph Guggenheim, and Bonnie Arnold. I am not a big fan of commentaries but this one was pretty easy to sit through. You receive plenty of information about the film, so fans of Toy Story should enjoy this quite a bit. Things can get technical at times, but their passion for their work shines through and makes it worth listening to.

Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: Blast Off – There is a similar feature on the sequel that is equally as cute. This particular feature includes Buzz, Rex, and Hamm. If your young children love Toy Story and are interested in space, they will love this feature.

Paths to Pixar: Artists – If you want to know more about the artists behind Pixar movies this is the feature for you. The artists are on hand to let you know what got them interested in animation in the first place and how they managed to get their amazing jobs.

Studio Stories – The three studio stories include John’s Car, Baby AJ, Scooter Races. These are animated shorts that came about based on experiences of the crew and their experiences at Pixar. Despite being less than two minutes these all provide a great time!

Buzz Takes Manhattan – This is a real short look at the Buzz Lightyear float that was present at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Black Friday: The Toy Story You Never Saw – This is an incredibly interesting featurette for fans. Toy Story could have been a very different film. However, luckily, the powers that be decided to make some changes and turn the film into the one we know and love today.

The other menu includes Classic DVD Bonus Features. Some of the bonuses here include The Legacy of Toy Story, Deleted Scenes, Making Toy Story, Filmmakers Reflect, Designing Toy Story, Story Production, Music and Sound, and Publicity. The special features are some of the best you will find, which is expected for a Pixar movie. In any case, you would have to be incredibly picky to not be happy with these.

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
A kick butt story accompanies near flawless graphics and plenty of bonus material. Toy Story on Blu-Ray is worth the upgrade if you already own the DVD and the purchase if you don’t. Enjoy the adventure with Andy, Buzz, Woody and the rest of Andy’s toys in High Definition. You should already know if you’ll want to own this movie or not. It’s classic Pixar and the studio is always at its best. This Toy Story Blu-Ray and the movie itself come highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Toy Story, Combo Pack. Tim Allen, Tom Hanks, Annie Potts, Andy, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Animation, Disney, Pixar, Movie Review, Blu-ray

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: December 11, 2009
DVD Release Date: March 16, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

I tend to shy away from the movies that have a lot of controversial talk swirling around them, simply because so many preconceived notions occur after hearing all the speculative talk concerning the film. For The Princess and the Frog the discussion revolved around the fact that Princess Tiana is the first African American Disney Princess. Discussions ranged from excitement that little girls who previously had no Disney Princess to look up to now did, to displeasure over the race ambiguity associated with Prince Naveen.

On one hand it’s good that so much dialogue swirled around this film. It’s always good to discuss films that break barriers, but, by the same token, it felt like too much pressure was placed on Disney to deliver a film that was a perfect vision of what the audience wanted for its ideal fairytale movie. I was not bothered by Prince Naveen being from what could only be assumed was a fictional Middle Eastern or Asian nation. It does not take away from the momentous achievement this film has made, and the precedence Disney has now set for its films. Sure, Disney could have made the prince African, but by not doing this, I do not think that Disney was trying to send a message that African men are unable to be princes, as some people have incorrectly suggested.

Regardless, I didn’t see the film in the theater knowing I’d be offered it to review when it was released. I don’t have any little girls, and my young nephew was taken to see this by another relative. So, I had no real reason to go see it before now. Let me say, now that I have seen it, I am glad I had a chance to watch it. What a rich, beautiful historic backdrop that added amazing layers to an already excellent story. I feel a great kinship to New Orleans already, so having The Princess and the Frog set there during the height of New Orleans glory (the era of music, especially Jazz) just added to my enjoyment when watching this animated feature.

This is the first 2D feature Disney has released since 2004. I grew up in the 80s, so I tend to prefer the 2D animations when Disney releases a new feature film. It reminds me of my childhood. The animation for The Princess and the Frog is flawless. With this being Disney’s 49th feature film, it is nice to see how far the studio has come, and what conventional animation elements the studio still seems to maintain after nearly 50 movies that have been made in nearly a century. Still, it isn’t just the pretty picture and idyllic setting that make The Princess and the Frog worth seeing.

The story behind The Princess and the Frog is touching. It’s a pure, Disney tale. For those who have watched the various Disney Princess movies, this film fits in with the rest of the films. There is a beautiful protagonist that is hard not to like. She faces obstacles that keep her from meeting her prince. There are also 2 or 3 different sidekicks that make the film. In the case of The Princess and the Frog, these two are Louis, the trumpet playing alligator, and Ray, a Cajun-accented firefly. Add in the happily ever after, though it is not easily attained and this is a true blue Disney feature, well worth watching.

The Princess and the Frog Plot
At the height of the Jazz era in New Orleans, a young girl named Tiana (Elizabeth M. Dampier) listens to the story of “The Prince and the Frog” with her best friend, Charlotte (Breanna Brooks). Charlotte “Lottie” is the daughter of the very wealthy ‘Big Daddy’ La Bouff (John Goodman) and Tiana’s mother, Eudora (Oprah), works for him. At home, in a modest-to-poor section of town, Tiana shows promise as a future chef, when she makes gumbo that her daddy, James (Terrence Howard), invites the neighbors to share.

Tiana grows up with the dream of opening a restaurant, a dream she shares with her father. The movie shifts to when Tiana is older (now voiced by Anika Noni Rose). She is working two jobs, and it is the 1920s. She is saving up for that restaurant her daddy always dreamed of, but he has died, and she is trying to make sure the dream becomes a reality.

Lottie’s father, Big Daddy, has invited Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos) of Maldonia to attend a party hosted by his daughter, at his New Orleans mansion. Lottie (now voiced by Jennifer Cody) has always wanted to marry a prince, and she has her eyes set on Naveen. Naveen, who has been cut off financially, by his parents, must find a wealthy girl to marry and Lottie seems absolutely perfect for this. Of course, Naveen seems to be more interested in playing and dancing around to the excellent Jazz music on the street, something that frustrates his man servant, Lawrence (Peter Bartlett). When a voodoo master named Dr. Facilier (Keith David) turns Naveen into a frog, and makes Lawrence the new Prince Naveen, things go awry for the real prince.

Meanwhile, Lottie commissions Tiana to make 500 crepes for her party. She pays her enough to afford purchasing the building she wants for “Tiana’s Place”, the restaurant she plans to open. Of course, those in charge of the sale make it clear Tiana isn’t the only bidder and it looks like she won’t get the building. When Tiana encounters a talking frog, who promises to help her buy the restaurant if she kisses him (since he is a rich prince_, both are shocked when she ends up becoming a frog, too.

Escaping to the Bayou while the fake Naveen woos Lottie, the two set off on an adventure that takes them through the heart of Cajun country. Along the way, they meet a crazy, trumpet playing alligator named, Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley), and a firefly with a Cajun accent named Ray (Jim Cummings), who is in love with a star named Evangeline. On the quest to find a bayou legend and voodoo expert named Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis), the two find plenty to get into as they face the adventure of a lifetime — an adventure that could change their lives, forever.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
It would be hard to complain about a movie that was as beautiful as The Princess and the Frog. While the DVD looks good, the Blu-ray is just gorgeous. Like most people, I was excited about the return of hand drawn animation. This movie shows us why it’s worth it to take the time to make each film in this manner. The 1080p AVC encode shows every beautiful line and burst of color that was meant to be celebrated. New Orleans has never looked better in terms of animation.

The princess dresses and backdrop were simply adorable and the bayou was scarier than ever, or at least it was creepy in terms of how little children would view it. The colors are not only lavish, they are spot on. Lots of earth tones and beautiful color varieties for the various dresses and outfits (and animals) enrich the film. The blacks are strong too, of course, and the detail is as good as it gets on Blu-ray. Even if you felt the film was a waste of time (I have yet to meet anyone who feels this way) you would still be able to appreciate the beautiful quality that brings this animation to life.

It’s Mardi Gras during The Princess and the Frog and this DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround track gives you the best of New Orleans during that time of year! I will admit I did not connect with the songs as much as I have in past Disney films, but they sound beautiful and they fit within the context of the film itself. Each beat of the drum is perfectly emphasized. The street parades get the surround sound thumping and the audio creates an overall good time. Dialogue is always easy to hear and the sound effects are exciting or calming when the movie calls for them.

Volume toggling is not an issue. This track is about as flawless as they come. In addition to English audio you can make use of Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks in French, Portuguese, and Spanish. Subtitles have also been included in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Say what you will about Disney stories or the urban legends (true or not) that circulate about the studio, but one thing remains true. When it comes to Blu-Ray releases, no one packs them like Disney does. Each Blu-Ray is always filled to the brim with special features and The Princess and the Frog is no different. There are a ton of special features in this three disc combo pack. If you don’t want to buy the combo pack there are other release options available. This one comes with the Blu-Ray, DVD, and a digital copy so you can watch this film just about anywhere. However, if you don’t want to spend as much you can enjoy the same quality with less offerings for a cheaper price.

All that being said, let’s get down to the special features.

Audio Commentary: The commentary includes both directors/writers, John Musker and Ron Clements, along with the producer Peter Del Vecho. These three guys talk about a range of things from casting and the performances of the cast to the story itself and having it centered in New Orleans. The best thing about this commentary is that the guys go over tons of information, but it’s all related to the film itself. There is no wondering or just idle conversation. It’s a worthwhile listen if you’re a fan of commentaries.

“Work in Progress Track”: This track allows you to watch the film with the inclusion of the animators’ pencil work, the storyboards, different animations, and all of the early progress before the film was officially finished. The only downside to this I could find is that you cannot listen to the commentary with this on. Considering I like to watch the film on its own and then check out the commentary, I ended up having to do three takes of the film. I would have loved to use this track with the commentary as it would have been incredibly interesting and time saving, too.

“Magic in the Bayou”: This featurette (22 minutes long) serves as the behind the scenes look into the film. This is exciting because it shows what things are like with the first hand drawn animated movie in years. All of the filmmakers and animators take time out to talk about the story, the characters, and their experiences working on the film, which makes for a pretty interesting behind the scenes track.

“Bringing Life to Animation”: There were a few difficult scenes for the animators in the film. This eight minute featurette looks at those scenes and talks about the live-action footage that was used by animators to help them get the job done.

“The Return to Hand Drawn Animation”: The big problem with this is that it is nothing more than a promo piece. This short, which is more of an announcement, was made before the film was finished and was just added here as a filler.

“The Disney Legacy”: Again, another filler piece. This talks about the wonders of Disney and their commitment to quality animation. Of course, you probably already knew this. Otherwise you wouldn’t have bought the movie.

“A Return to the Animated Musical”: This is just a quick look into the music of the film. You can briefly explore the songs and dances along with the various melodies of New Orleans.

“Disney’s Newest Princess”: This short feature gives you a chance to meet Tiana, the newest Disney princess along with Anika Noni Rose, the actress behind the princess. Animators weigh in on the new princess, as well.

“The Princess and the Animator”: Despite the animators weighing in on the Meet the Princess featurette, they also weigh in here on a more technical level. Here they talk about the design and animation aspects of Tiana and how they essentially, brought her to life.

“Conjuring the Villain”: Dr. Facilier, also known as the Shadow Man, is explored here in this short feature. You get a minute or two to learn what it took to get him from the page to the screen.

“Music & More”: I am not sure what the more is supposed to be here. This is just a music video for “Never Knew I Needed” by Ne-Yo.

The only other features here are about twelve minutes of deleted scenes with introductions, hundreds of Art Gallery photo stills, and a game for the kids “What Do You See: Princess Portraits.”

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Visually stunning, aurally pleasing, and downright heartwarming, every Disney fan needs to add The Princess and the Frog to their Disney collection. It does not matter if you get this in Blu-Ray or DVD. The quality for this animated feature is similar enough that truly, you can invest in either version of the great Disney flick. Whatever way you choose to buy this film, the fact still remains that you should buy it. It’s typical Disney awesomeness, so who wouldn’t want to own a film like this? The Princess and the Frog comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 4.86 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: The Princess and the Frog, Disney, Pixar, Academy Award Nominee, Fairy Tale, Prince, Kiss, New Orleans, Cajun, Bayou, Tiana’s Place, John Goodman, Happy Endings, VooDoo, Movie Review, Blu-ray

Release Info:
Original Theatrical Release Date: February 4, 1938
DVD Release Date: October 6, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $19.99

I, like many other adults my age, have been able to take for granted the fact that Disney regularly makes decent animated features. When Snow White was being developed by Walt Disney and his company, the Disney company had never made a full length, animated, feature film. This was the first Disney feature, that has made way for many, other exceptional animated movies. Without Snow White we wouldn’t have had Bambi, Lady and the Tramp, The Fox and the Hound, and many, other classic Disney films that are a part of my (and probably your) Disney collection.

At the time it was released, Snow White was revolutionary. Most animated studios focused on cartoon shorts, so a full, animated feature was a lot more work, since animation was hand drawn at that time. You can see the care taken to make this film something spectacular. It’s a beautiful film that is even more enhanced by the HD capabilities today. Not to sound cliché, but the Blu-Ray presentation of this Disney classic is absolutely gorgeous.

It is hard to dispute the worth of a film like Snow White. The story had been around since the days of the Brothers Grimm, who first told the tale of the beautiful Snow White, her wicked stepmother, and the seven, friendly dwarfs. The Disney dwarfs have become a symbol of Walt Disney and the Disney Company. You’d have to be living under a rock to not know Dopey, Grumpy, Sleepy or the other dwarfs. Of course, this just adds to the timeless nature of the film, Disney’s legacy and our longstanding recognition of the characters within it.

Why do we like Disney classics so much? I’m not sure why others do, but I know I like sharing a movie I watched with my mom with my son and nephew. The Disney classics are movies that transcend generations. Grandparents and Great-Grandparents watch with children and every person feels a sense of awe and fulfillment in watching this type of movie. Male, female, any age, race, creed, or conviction, this is one film we all can enjoy and aren’t afraid to say so!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Plot
A beautiful young maiden with porcelain skin, dark hair and ruby lips named Snow White lives with the Queen, her evil, wicked, selfish, self-serving stepmother. Snow White’s beauty is intimidating to the Queen, so she forces the girl to serve as a maid instead of partaking in the pleasures most maidens do. The Queen, having a magic mirror befitting her vainly selfish nature, asks said mirror daily who the fairest one of all in the kingdom is. Every day, the mirror tells the Queen that it is her.

Then, one day, the Queen is told her stepdaughter, Snow White, is the fairest one of all in the kingdom. This makes the Queen furious. She hires a huntsman, tells him to take Snow White out into the woods, and asks him to kill her. To prove he killed her, she wishes for the heart of Snow White, to be cut out and put in a jeweled box. The huntsman agrees, takes Snow White to the woods, tells her to run away, and kills a pig, bringing back its heart in the box.

As Snow White wanders the forest, scared and alone, the creatures of the forest take her to a cottage, the home of the seven dwarfs. The dwarfs are Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, and Dopey. They are off working at the local mine. So, thinking a bunch of unruly kids live there, Snow White sets out to clean the cottage. When the dwarfs return home, they are shocked to see their cottage so clean. They fear an intruder has broken in, and find her, asleep across their beds.

When the dwarfs learn that Snow White has domestic skills they welcome her to stay with them. This arrangement works out well, but not for long. When the Queen discovers Snow White is alive, thanks to the magic mirror, who still claims Snow White is the fairest of them all, the Queen is livid. Finding out where Snow White is, the Queen tricks Snow White into taking a bite from a poisoned apple, and the rest, they say, is history.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
It is hard to believe that any movie, especially an animated one from the 30s, looks as good as this film does. It is simply amazing to see the beauty of Snow White the way that it looks now. The 1080p AVC encoded look of Snow White is nothing short of gorgeous. The colors are lavish and bright. In fact, it looks so good if you didn’t know any better you might think it’s a newer movie. From beginning to end, I could not find any visual errors or signs of age. Everything about this quality works. The detail is spot on, the lighting is good, and everything looks fabulous as a result of the HD restoration. There are no complaints to be found here.

Disney used a DTS-HD MA 7.1 track to impress with the audio. The visual quality would have been hard to beat, but this serves it well. Despite the fact that this was built from the original mono track, things sound great. The dialogue always remains clear and there are never any sound issues. The surrounds are used in the musical moments, which adds a lot of depth to each song, and when there is background noise to enhance a scene. Music lovers will adore this track. In addition to the newly souped up track there is a restored English mono audio if you want a more faithful sound to the original. Spanish and French Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks are also included, as well as Subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Normally, I go through the special features for a movie and then I write how good or bad the options are. Usually I do this because the movie only has a couple features. That is not the case with Snow White. In this case, a couple hundred would be more like it. So rather than talk about how many there are, I figure it’s best to just go through them. The audio commentary begins things. John Canemaker handles this responsibility. He works well for the job and his background as a film historian gives him a lot of insight to pass on here. People that have watched this movie one hundred times and can’t wait to see it again need to listen to what Canemaker has to say. It’s an incredible track from beginning to end.

Rather than recount all of the tiny non-featurette offerings I will say that these discs do include two deleted scenes, a Tiffany Thorton music video, a selection of DVD games, previews, and a sneak peek of The Princess and the Frog. There is even a look into the archives of Disney to experience a storyboard for the sequel to Snow White. Thankfully, to date, this movie has not been released.

On the second disc there is a Hyperion Studios tag. The inclusion of this tag is certainly deceiving as there are plenty of features hiding behind it. You can take your choice of options, and whatever you choose will lead you to a wealth of information on both Disney and Snow White. In some ways, these sections will make you long for a setup like this with all movies. Well, at least the good ones. The bonuses will be listed in sections, similar to how they are listed on the disc.

Exterior
“Where it All Began”: Here you have a 12 minute intro to the film. The animation process, as well as Disney’s animation team are discussed and you get a chance to meet the team. This gets the ball rolling nicely and opens up the door for the following featurettes to play smoothly.

“The One that Started it All”: This featurette is interesting because it delves into the influence that Snow White holds. This one movie allowed Disney to purchase land where Disney Animation Studios would be built. This allowed him to get far more involved in building the Disney empire.

“Family Business”: is a tiny featurette that shows how much fun the Disney crew has at work. It’s not altogether necessary, but it might make you wish that you were as lucky as those people.

Story Room
“Stories from the Story Room”: the tiniest featurette yet, at one minute, simply draws together some of the interviews by the writers.

“Five Bucks a Gag”: Walt Disney wanted to make sure there were moments of humor in Snow White. To make that happen he apparently offered the writers five dollars for every gag they got into the film.

“In Walt’s Words: The Huntsman”: Walt Disney was definitely not like other creative individuals of his time. This amusing featurette talks about Disney and how he would look through trash cans at the animation studio hoping to get ideas that other people wrote off or tossed in the trash.

“Gabby, Blabby, and Flabby”: The writers and animators did not always see eye to eye on everything. One area where they disagreed was in the naming of the dwarfs. Luckily, these alternative names were not chosen.

“Babes in the Woods”: This is a Disney Short for Hansel and Gretel. It’s nice to see that these shorts are still around. Of course, as most people know the story there is no need to explain it.

Also in this section is a Storyboard Art Gallery and the Abandoned Concepts Gallery. The Storyboard section includes over 130 still images and the Abandoned Concepts has closer to 60 images. In both cases, the titles are pretty self-explanatory.

Music Room
“Music Room Host”: In one minute you learn a little more about the music room, including what it takes to work there.

“David Hand’s Dirty Trick”: This is just another short featurette that deals with a prank that was played as the deadline for Hand drew closer.

“The Skeleton Dance”: This is by far one of the most popular shorts that Disney has in the vault of shorts. Chances are, like most, you have watched it many times before so there isn’t need in explaining this one. Still it’s awesome to see here all done up in HD.

Art Department
“Creating the World of Snow White“: If you’re interested in the influences that led to the making of Snow White this is going to be the featurette for you. The European influence of the architecture (mainly the castles) is discussed in some detail.

“The Idea Man”: The Disney animator, Albert Hurter is featured here.

“Music Land”: This ten minute short is all about the love of two instruments. It’s cute and on par with the other shorts that we’ve seen thus far.

“In Walt’s Words: Cleaning the Cottage”: Here you get a chance to learn more about what Disney felt needed to be done during the scene where they are cleaning.

Like previous sections, this one is wrapped up with two galleries. The Visual Development Gallery has around 150 images and the Gustav Tenggren Art Gallery has around 15 images. Both are worth taking a look at, but they will not be things that you look at over and over.

Character Design
“In Walt’s Words: The Dwarfs”: Like some of the other featurettes, this focuses on the goals that Disney had for this film. This featurette looks at the dwarfs (obviously, based on the title).

The Character Design Gallery and the Color Test Gallery are also included here. Character Design includes five images and the Color Tests include twelve.

Background and Layout
“Setting the Stage”: Here you get a look at cell animation and what it’s all about. This featurette deals mainly with what it takes to set up shots for films like Snow White.

Two more galleries round out this section, just like the last. This time around you have the Backgrounds Gallery (25 images are included) and the Layout Gallery, which offers over 100 images.

Animation Department
“Bringing Snow White to Life”: As this is in the animation section, I am sure you can figure out what this one is about. This takes a look at some of the animators and what it took to make this film a classic.

“The Animators’ Favorite Animators”: In two minutes you get to see animator A congratulate and back pat animator B.

“Blowing Off Steam”: This deals with the pranks and fun that the animators had while working on Snow White.

“Goddess of Spring”: Here you have another ten minute Disney Short.

“Playful Pluto”: If you’ve ever wondered what Pluto was like in the beginning, this Disney short should give you a clue.

Things round out with an Animation Art Gallery that includes around 40 images.

Live Action Reference
“Live Action Host”: Like the other Host featurettes this is just an intro to the section and the department.

“Drawing on Real Life”: This featurette shows us why many Disney animations look so realistic when it comes to the characters. Disney liked to use real actors as a building block for his characters.

“Giving Voice to Snow White”: Andriana Caselotti is the voice of Snow White. This is a three minute look about what it took to cast Snow White and how they picked her.

We round out the Live Action Reference section with a Live Action Reference Gallery that offers 26 images.

Sweatbox
“Sweatbox Host”: Another one minute intro, this time by Eric Goldberg.

“Sweating it Out”: This is another one minute featurette. Interview footage is used to explain what a perfectionist Disney was.

A separate deleted scene is included here. The Bedroom Fight Scene was one of the few scenes that did not make the film.

Ink and Paint
“The Challenges of Ink and Paint”: This featurette highlights the painters that had the job of filling in the animation cells.

“Life in the Nunnery”: The animators and the painters were separated and handled separate jobs. This featurette teaches us how they were separated.

“Flowers and Trees”: This Disney short is definitely worth watching. Film buffs will know that this was the first Technicolor cartoon.

Camera Department
“Decoding the Exposure Sheet”: In this seven minute featurette you get a look at how Disney organized the shots in the film.

“Stories from the Camera Department”: A one minute look at the camera and the technology used when making Snow White.

“The Old Mill”: This section is round out with another nine minute cartoon short.

Sound Stage
“Walt’s Early Masters of Sound”: This takes a look at the sound effects and what was done to get them in the film.

“Steamboat Willie”: Nearly everyone knows about Willie. If you don’t, just watch this short. You’ll understand what all the hype is about. Fans will absolutely love that this is in HD.

Walt’s Office
“Working with Walt”: For those interested, Disney’s elite gives us a look at what it would have been like to work with Walt.

Two galleries are present here. The Publicity Gallery has somewhere around 35 photos that deal with publicity, as the name implies. The Production Photos offer 21 images.

Also on disc one is DisneyView. This allows you to remove the black bars from the top and bottom of the screen and replace them with art by Toby Bluth. I tried the movie with this on and with it off. I found it to be too distracting at times, but others might enjoy it. Finally, Family Play offers a few games including “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,” “Jewel Jumble,” and “What Do You See.” Another game, “Scene Stealer” is available via BD Live.

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Blu-Ray DVD combo of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs brings this classic film to life in a whole new way. Blu Ray quality for a film in its seventies is absolutely splendid. If you already own a DVD copy of this Disney classic, I suggest you upgrade. With the abundance of bonus features and exceptionally clear audio and video, every household deserves to own this Blu-Ray release. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in Blu-Ray and DVD comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Blu-Ray, DVD Combo, Combo Pack, Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Cartoon, Disney Studios, Family, Movie Review, Blu-Ray Review

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: April 22, 2009
DVD Release Date: September 1, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

Nature documentaries can be hit or miss. While the visual and audio qualities generally make them watchable some of them are seen as nothing more than snooze-worthy material. Planet Earth is a good example of that. I loved the series personally, but I know a lot of kids that couldn’t bother to be interested sitting through it. The problem is that it doesn’t have the quality needed to properly hold a child’s attention. Earth fixes that problem. Using the best and most exciting footage from the BBC’s Planet Earth, DisneyNature creates a documentary that is filled with life in all of its various forms.

James Earl Jones narrates this tale that is enthralling enough for the whole family, whether you’re a fan of documentaries or not. Both kids and adults should enjoy this. Disney manages to find some of the most animated animals on the planet. The penguins are quite funny when they sled along their stomachs to reach their destination. Seeing the reaction of some of the animals to the annual flood and how little they like water is quite amusing, too. Of course, there is more here than just cute and fuzzy moments. It seems that Disney does the best they can to retain their G rating, but in a way that keeps things real.

Among the more noticeable, sadder moments you will see a polar bear lay down to die, after a trip through the ocean that leads him to starve to death (the melting ice due to global warming slows his ability to find food until its much too late) and an elephant attacked by a pride of lions. At one point you see one animal mount and feed off another. Don’t get me wrong, you won’t see blood and guts, but adults will get the meaning. Kids, depending on their age, will not understand exactly what happens in these moments, but they will probably ask some questions.

Strong subject matter like global warming will be off putting to some, but this is described and shown in a way that will help kids understand the troubles that the planet, and the many creatures in it are facing. While the film is about three main groups you get the chance to see many animals beyond the three families. The three main groups are a group of elephants that are migrating and have to travel through a dust storm that causes them to spend the night with a pack of lions that want to make the baby elephants their dinner, some polar bears that need to cross the melting ice to find some food before they starve, and a humpback whale and her child who travel from their tropical waters all the way to Antarctica where the food is awaiting them.

We watched this with the whole family, including Oliver (our dog). Everyone really seemed to enjoy it. Oliver had some issues with it, but he can be jealous. He paced back and forth and hopped from lap to lap when the chicks were falling to the ground on a soft bed of leaves. Once he got over his jealousy even he seem to like it. In fact, when the polar bear lay down to die, he let out a little cry and nuzzled his head into me, because he was bothered by what he saw. Sure, it was probably coincidence, but it was good timing on his part.

I love how the entire series managed to be informational and entertaining at the same time. The animals were adorable and I wanted to see them hit the milestones they were hoping to hit. If they didn’t I shared in their sadness, as did the others that watched it with me. Along with the narration is a beautiful score that leads you through different regions of the world and through good and bad moments of the highlighted animals. As an opener for DisneyNature, one has to assume that a lot of good things are on the horizon. After this, I am looking forward to the next undertaking from this section of Disney.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
Earth comes to Blu-Ray with a 1080p transfer that will wow even the most discriminatory judges. Nearly everything about this visual presentation sings. The colors are breathtaking, the contrast is strong, the detail is incredibly vivid, and everything comes together like every Blu-ray should. Even the blacks are nearly perfect. It’s hard to complain about anything that leaves you in awe like Earth so easily does. Every detail is so beautiful in its own way. The melting ice and how it breaks against the staggering blue waters is amazing to look at. Likewise, as the smoke rises from the crashing falls or the white on white of the polar bears sliding down a snow covered hill fills the screen you cannot help but take a moment to appreciate the beauty of what you are seeing. The occasional problems that do pop up or so few and far between that most people will not even notice them. The biggest problems occur during evening shots or during storms and it’s obvious that this has little to do with the transfer, and a lot more to do with the actual conditions that the film was shot during. That being said, you cannot fault a film like this for something like that.

The sound is as perfect for Earth as the video. Using a DTS-HD MA 5.1 sound track, Earth offers the complete package and it benefits in every way possible in doing so. The audio is perfect for what Disney seems to be trying to achieve. James Earl Jones has a way of adding humor and compassion, wherever necessary as he lends his voice to this narration. Of course, he is hardly the only thing we hear. In the background (and sometimes front and center) there is always something calling to your attention. You will hear rushing waters, rustling leaves, and chirping birds. You will not only hear them, but they will sound as if you’re right there with them in the moment. Lions will growl with a fierce thunderous growl and a dust storm will sound frightening as the winds whip around the elephants caught up in it, and everything will blend together in a perfect harmony completed by the perfect score for the setting. Disney cannot be complimented enough on the excellent job that they did here.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Earth is presented with a small, but worthy selection of special features that compliment the documentary as well as can be expected. First, it goes without saying that having the combo pack with both Blu-ray and DVD is incredibly handy (especially if you have more DVD players than you do Blu-ray). The DVD offers a Behind the Scenes documentary to go with the movie, but the Blu-ray comes with additional, exclusive features that you cannot get anywhere else. Owning both ensures that you get all features and both formats to enjoy any way you please.

“Filmmaker Annotations”: The Annotations are cool because you get a PiP (picture in picture) track that brings up the filmmakers and other individuals that are able to offer great amounts of information. You learn about the creation of the film, the photography, imagining techniques, and even about how they decided what footage would be used. I was expecting something that was relatively boring, but this was all quite interesting. Usually I can get into a nature documentary but the special features are pointless. This was just the opposite and was definitely a good way to get things rolling.

“Living Menus Content”: While not as informative as the Annotations this menu is awesome in its own way. Appearing as a globe, you have the option to click on hot spots. Depending on the spot you pick will determine whether you see a small video or view a series of facts about the location. While the information here is much smaller than in other areas, it’s still worth checking out.

“Earth Diaries”: Here you have a longer special feature in this behind the scenes documentary. Coming in at close to an hour, you get a chance to learn all there is to know about the making of Earth. Some of the things discussed are the presentation as a whole, the contributions and challenges that the filmmakers offered and dealt with, and what it ultimately took to make this film happen. As far as documentaries go, fans of Earth should enjoy it immensely.

Bonus Features: 4 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Some parents will not appreciate the candid truths that are available in Earth. Jones explains that life is sometimes harsh and though this Blu-ray retains its G rating, it makes no qualms about showing (at least to some extent) that many of the animals shown did not manage to live through the filming. Young children may ask questions about what animal the shark was eating or why the pride of lions wanted to eat one of the elephants. They also might wonder why the polar bear had to starve to death. Still, it’s important that children learn that dying is a part of life, just as much as living is. Earth attempts to show life in all its various forms and it does so in a way that shows a beauty in nature that seems lacking in every day, over-populated, suburban life. Fans of nature and documentaries will want to pick this up immediately. Families should watch this with their kids. It will keep them entertained and teach them plenty about life and nature. Earth comes highly recommended.

Overall Rating: 4.86 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Disney Earth, Planet Earth, Nature, Disney Nature, Animals, Ocean, Elephants, Polar Bears, Ice Caps, Realism, Documentary, BD Review

Wonder Woman fans will want to take notice. The animated movie will be out on shelves, March 3, 2009. Stay tuned to LI Reviews for further Wonder Woman coverage, including reviews of The Animated Movie and other Wonder Woman DVDs.

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