Goldman, Gary

Anastasia (Family Fun Edition w/Bartok the Magnificent)

The daughter of last Russian czar Anastasia is found by two young Russian men Dimitri and Vladimir who seek reward that her grandmother Marie promised to the ones who'll find her. But evil genius of czar family Rasputin who for some reason survived in this film still wants Romanovs family to be destroyed forever.DVD Features: Disc 1: Anastasia (widescreen) Director/Producer Commentary by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman Interactive Feature: Learn to Draw Anastasia "Anya" Interactive Feature: Learn to Draw Dimitri Interactive Feature: Learn to Draw Rasputin Interactive Feature: Learn to Draw Bartok Anastasia Music Box Favorites Disc 2: Bartok the Magnificent (Full Screen) The Making of Anastasia: Creating the Story Defining Characters Creating of Animation Music in the Air Sing Along: Once Upon a December Sing Along: Learn to Do It Interactive Feature Learn to Sing it in a Different Language: Once Upon a December Set Top Games Explore the Palace (3D Walk Through) Becoming a Princess (Interactive Paper Doll) Putting Rasputin Back Together Again (timed puzzle game) Ink and Paint to Help Anya Remember her Past (Interactive coloring book) Aaliyah: Journery to the Past music video/Making of System Requirements:Running Time 94 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 024543229131 Manufacturer No: 2232913

Thumbelina

Ranking just behind the best of animator Don Bluth's films (Anastasia and The Secret of NIMH), Thumbelina is a bubble-light version of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. The finger-sized heroine goes about the old-fashioned trials of trying to find a good man, but the film is clever enough to make it endearing for the 3-6 set and more than passable for adult viewers. Barry Manilow provides much of the song score, which helps immensely. The ballad "Let Me Be Your Wings" is as good as Disney's best. Carol Channing and Charo have a good ol' time with their songs too. The voice of Thumbelina is none other than Jodi Benson, who gave voice to Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid. --Doug Thomas

A tiny girl no bigger than a thumb is stolen by a great ugly toad and subsequently has many adventures and makes many animal friends, before finding the perfect mate.
Genre: Children's Video
Rating: G
Release Date: 22-FEB-2005
Media Type: DVD

A Troll in Central Park

Stanley is a kindhearted, popular troll who can reate flowers with a mere touch. When Gnorga, the mean-spirited Queen of the Kingdom of Trolls discovers Stanley's secret, however, she banishes him to a faraway place where she assumes nothing green can grow - New York City! Taking refuge in Central Park, Stanley befriends two young children, Gus and his baby sister Rosie. The three share wonderful adventures until Gnorga decides to let her mischief-making magic loose in the Big Apple. With its catchy songs, animation wizardy, and all-star voice cast, including award winners Dom DeLuise, Cloris Leachman, and Charles Nelson Reilly, A Troll in Central Park will make smiles bloom on faces of your entire family.

All Dogs Go to Heaven

All Dogs Go To Heaven is a musical, animated exploration of the fundamental conflict between good and bad and of the notions of caring and friendship. While all dogs may be welcome in heaven, the open admission policy doesn't necessarily ensure that a dog is worthy of, or even ready to accept his heavenly blessing. When criminal dog Charlie Barker (Burt Reynolds) and his sidekick Itchy (Dom DeLuise) escape from the dog pound, it isn't long before they realize that former business partner-in-crime Carface (Vic Taybak) has turned against them. Carface puts a permanent end to the partnership by killing Charlie, but Charlie ascends to heaven only to spurn his promised life devoid of surprises and fight to return to a life of vengeance, danger, and adventure on earth. When Charlie realizes that Carface has been using the animal-talking talents of young orphan girl named Anne-Marie (Judith Barsi) to further the success of his gambling business, Charlie steals her away and starts his own lucrative business venture. Charlie and Anne-Marie begin to become friends, but Anne-Marie's strong sense of what is right conflicts with Charlie's complete lack of moral standards and puts their friendship at risk. Worse, Charlie's quest for revenge threatens his own life as well as the lives of his friends Anne-Marie and Itchy. (Ages 6 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Set in 1939 New Orleans, this colorful, song-filled story centers on Charles B. Barkin, a roguish German Shepherd with the charm of a con man and the heart of a marshmallow. Out for revenge against his double-crossing former partner, a cigar-chomping pit bull known as Carface, Charlie finds himself guardian to a lonely little orphan named Anne-Marie. Her astounding ability to talk to animals leads this unlikely pair on an adventure packed with thrills, laughs, tears and true love.

Hans Christian Andersen's Thumbelina

Ranking just behind the best of animator Don Bluth's films (Anastasia and The Secret of NIMH), Thumbelina is a bubble-light version of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. The finger-sized heroine goes about the old-fashioned trials of trying to find a good man, but the film is clever enough to make it endearing for the 3-6 set and more than passable for adult viewers. Barry Manilow provides much of the song score, which helps immensely. The ballad "Let Me Be Your Wings" is as good as Disney's best. Carol Channing and Charo have a good ol' time with their songs too. The voice of Thumbelina is none other than Jodi Benson, who gave voice to Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid. --Doug Thomas

Anastasia

Stomping out their usual cuteness and carbon copying Disney's grand animation style to a T, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (An American Tail) create a successful musical comedy from the story of the lost Russian princess. Adapting the story of imperialism and revolution is tricky, and subsequently the film's opening is weak. Once Anya (voiced by Meg Ryan, sung by Liz Callaway) is a teenager and on her own (suffering from some degree of amnesia), the film is quite pleasing though never refreshingly new.

Twentieth Century Fox's big-money gamble to horn in on Disney's realm is worthy. The songs, especially the recurrent "Once Upon a December," by Broadway team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are better than Disney's recent efforts. It's worth picking up the soundtrack. The mix of cell animation and computer work is vivid. The collection of vocal talent is also strong, from John Cusack (as Dimitri, who wants to earn the reward by bringing Anya to Paris) to Hank Azaria as an amusing albino bat. Kelsey Grammer helps turn a roly-poly sidekick into a warm and strong supporting character.

The biggest drawback is Bluth/Goldman's insistence on having a typical villain. Surprisingly, the story would be strong enough without one, and the undead corpse of Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) is unneeded and unoriginal. --Doug Thomas

The Pebble and the Penguin - Family Fun Edition

As a brief promo by a Sea World Animal Ambassador tells us before the movie begins, male penguins really do present pebbles to the females during a courtship that will result in a lifetime match. This post-Thumbelina Don Bluth/Barry Manilow effort gives us Hubie, a nerdy penguin whose love for the beautiful Marina, remarkably, is returned. Alas, before he can present her with a fine stone, his evil--and strangely buff--rival throws him into the swirling sea. Epic adventures and a comical sidekick result. Leopard seals and killer whales threaten, but kids will be entertained rather than frightened by this harmless, if less-than-brilliant movie. --Kimberly Heinrichs

From the majestic landscapes of a frozen land comes a beloved animated adventure to warm everyone'sheart. Featuring the incomparable songs of Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman and the voice talents of Martin Short James Belushi Tim Curry and Annie Golden this animated tale from the creator of The Secret of NIMH is a magical musical treat for all. Your kids will love it...and you will too (Elayne Blythe Film Advisory Board Inc.). The Full Moon Mating Ceremony a real-life penguintradition requires that bachelor birds present pebbles to their sweethearts. And in this film a shy bird named Hubie has the perfect stone for his love Marina. But there's considerable competitionfor Marina's affections and in an exciting race against time sea storm and a host of other obstacles Hubie learns that it's not the perfect pebblebut rather the perfect penguinthat always gets the girl.System Requirements:Run Time: 74 minsFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 027616067814 Manufacturer No: M106781

Anastasia

Stomping out their usual cuteness and carbon copying Disney's grand animation style to a T, directors Don Bluth and Gary Goldman (An American Tail) create a successful musical comedy from the story of the lost Russian princess. Adapting the story of imperialism and revolution is tricky, and subsequently the film's opening is weak. Once Anya (voiced by Meg Ryan, sung by Liz Callaway) is a teenager and on her own (suffering from some degree of amnesia), the film is quite pleasing though never refreshingly new.

Twentieth Century Fox's big-money gamble to horn in on Disney's realm is worthy. The songs, especially the recurrent "Once Upon a December," by Broadway team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are better than Disney's recent efforts. It's worth picking up the soundtrack. The mix of cell animation and computer work is vivid. The collection of vocal talent is also strong, from John Cusack (as Dimitri, who wants to earn the reward by bringing Anya to Paris) to Hank Azaria as an amusing albino bat. Kelsey Grammer helps turn a roly-poly sidekick into a warm and strong supporting character.

The biggest drawback is Bluth/Goldman's insistence on having a typical villain. Surprisingly, the story would be strong enough without one, and the undead corpse of Rasputin (Christopher Lloyd) is unneeded and unoriginal. --Doug Thomas

The Pebble and the Penguin

As a brief promo by a Sea World Animal Ambassador tells us before the movie begins, male penguins really do present pebbles to the females during a courtship that will result in a lifetime match. This post-Thumbelina Don Bluth/Barry Manilow effort gives us Hubie, a nerdy penguin whose love for the beautiful Marina, remarkably, is returned. Alas, before he can present her with a fine stone, his evil--and strangely buff--rival throws him into the swirling sea. Epic adventures and a comical sidekick result. Leopard seals and killer whales threaten, but kids will be entertained rather than frightened by this harmless, if less-than-brilliant movie. --Kimberly Heinrichs

From the majestic landscapes of a frozen land comes a beloved animated adventure to warm everyone'sheart. Featuring the incomparable songs of Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman, and the voice talents of Martin Short, James Belushi, Tim Curry and Annie Golden, this animated tale from the creator of The Secret of NIMH is a magical musical treat for all. Your kids will love it...and you will too (Elayne Blythe, Film Advisory Board, Inc.). The Full Moon Mating Ceremony, a real-life penguintradition, requires that bachelor birds present pebbles to their sweethearts. And in this film, a shy bird named Hubie has the perfect stone for his love, Marina. But there's considerable competitionfor Marina's affections, and in an exciting race against time, sea, storm and a host of other obstacles, Hubie learns that it's not the perfect pebblebut rather the perfect penguinthat always gets the girl.

Thumbelina

Ranking just behind the best of animator Don Bluth's films (Anastasia and The Secret of NIMH), Thumbelina is a bubble-light version of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. The finger-sized heroine goes about the old-fashioned trials of trying to find a good man, but the film is clever enough to make it endearing for the 3-6 set and more than passable for adult viewers. Barry Manilow provides much of the song score, which helps immensely. The ballad "Let Me Be Your Wings" is as good as Disney's best. Carol Channing and Charo have a good ol' time with their songs too. The voice of Thumbelina is none other than Jodi Benson, who gave voice to Ariel in Disney's The Little Mermaid. --Doug Thomas