Animation

Ratatouille

From the creators of CARS and THE INCREDIBLES comes a break-through comedy with something for everyone. With delightful new characters experience Paris from an all-new perspective. It's "terrific movie making" raves Leonard Maltin of ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT. In one of Paris' finest restaurants Remy a determined young rat dreams of becoming a renowned French chef. Torn between his family's wishes and his true calling Remy and his pal Linguini set in motion a hilarious chain of events that turns the City of Lights upside down. RATATOUILLE is a treat you'll want to enjoy again and again.System Requirements:Running Time: 111 Mins. Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 786936727173

One key point: if you can get over the natural gag reflex of seeing hundreds of rodents swarming over a restaurant kitchen, you will be free to enjoy the glory of Ratatouille, a delectable Pixar hit. Our hero is Remy, a French rat (voiced by Patton Oswalt) with a cultivated palate, who rises from his humble beginnings to become head chef at a Paris restaurant. How this happens is the stuff of Pixar magic, that ineffable blend of headlong comedy, seamless technology, and wonder (in the latter department, this movie's views of nighttime Paris are on a par with French cinema at its most lyrical). Director Brad Bird (The Incredibles) doesn't quite keep all his spinning plates in the air, but the gags are great and the animation amazingly expressive--Remy's shrugs and nods are nimbler than many flesh-and-blood actors can manage. Refreshingly, the movie's characters aren't celebrity-reliant, with the most recognizable voice coming from Peter O'Toole's snide food critic. (This fellow provides the film's sole sour note--an oddly pointed slap at critics, those craven souls who have done nothing but rave about Pixar's movies over the years.) Brad Bird's style is more quick-hit and less resonant than the approach of Pixar honcho John Lasseter, but it's hard to complain about a movie that cooks up such bountiful pleasure. --Robert Horton

101 Dalmatians (Two-Disc Platinum Edition)

101 DALMATIANS has charmed audiences for generations with its irresistible tail-wagging stars memorable music and a wonderful blend of fantasy humor and adventure. Now with spectacular new bonus features and brilliantly restored Walt Disney's beloved animated classic shines like never before in an all-new two-disc Platinum Edition. Cruella De Vil Disney's most outrageous villain sets the fur-raising adventure in motion when she dognaps all of Pongo and Perdita's puppies. Through the power of the "Twilight Bark" Pongo leads a heroic cast of animal characters on a quest across London to rescue them. Bring home the exciting two-disc Platinum Edition with something for everyone including the all-new virtual Dalmatians game over 101 pop-up trivia facts an all-new music video and much more!System Requirements:Running Time: 79 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 786936735413 Manufacturer No: 5439403

Back in 1961, Walt Disney got a little hip with 101 Dalmatians, making use of that flat Saturday morning cartoon style that had become so popular. The result is a kitschy change in animation and story. Pongo and Perdita are two lonely dalmatians who meet cute in a London park and arrange for their pet humans to marry so they can live together and raise a family. They become proud parents of 15 pups, who are stolen by the dastardly Cruella De Vil, who wants to make a fur coat out of them. Cruella has become the most popular villain in all of Disney; she's flamboyantly nasty and lots of fun. But it's the dalmatians who shine in this endearing classic, particularly those precocious pups. Telling the story from the dogs' point of view is a clever conceit, a fundamental flaw of the live-action remake. --Bill Desowitz

On the DVD
This two-disc platinum edition features great sound and incredibly bright, intense colors thanks to the restoration process, but its most impressive selling point is the huge assortment of bonus features designed to delight children, families, and the most serious Disney fans. Kids will have fun caring for their very own puppy in the virtual Dalmatian game for television or on DVD ROM and can find out just what kind of puppy they're most like and which human Disney character they're most compatible with in the puppy profiler game. The fun with language game is geared toward the very young preschooler and teaches numbers and the names of common household items. A modern Selena Gomez music video of "Cruella DeVil" will appeal to tweens and teens. The whole family will enjoy the "101 Pop Up Facts For Families" option which prints various movie facts like the name and author of the original book and how specific scenes differ between the book and the movie right on the screen during the movie and Disney fans will love the similar "101 Pop Up Facts For Fans" feature which supplies a wide variety of film trivia about featured voice talents, famous Disney animators that worked on the film, technical devices employed like multi-pane shots and the Xerox process, and which artists directed specific scenes in the movie. Eleven separate Backstage Disney featurettes interview a host of animators, writers, historians, producers, and story men regarding the film's contemporary feel and the groundbreaking technical processes like the then-new Xerox process utilized in making 101 Dalmatians. Also highlighted is Bill Pete's amazing storytelling contribution to the film, the technical and mechanical innovations of Ub Iwerks, the songwriting process, and the animation prowess of famous Disney animators like Woolie Reitherman, Frank Thomas, Ollie Johnston, Milt Kahl, Marc Davis, Ken Anderson, and Walt Peregoy. The 12-minute dramatization of the longstanding correspondence between author Dodie Smith and Walt Disney is intriguing and the trailers and radio and television spots provide fun historical reference for the film and its various releases. Finally, the "Music and More" feature presents a variety of deleted and abandoned songs as well as many alternate versions and takes of songs used in the final film. --Tami Horiuchi

Stills from 101 Dalmatians (click for larger image)

Avatar the Last Airbender - Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3

In this latest release of Avatar: The Last Airbender Book 3 Volume 3 the invasion is in full force and Aang prepared to face his destiny frantically searches for the Fire Lord but there are few unexpected twists for Aang and the gang that could ruin their master plan. Join Aang Katara Sokka and Toph as they are forced to rely on old enemies for help.System Requirements:Running Time: 125 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: ANIMATION/ANIME Rating: NR UPC: 097368526945 Manufacturer No: 852694

Enchanted (Full Screen Edition)

A fairy tale comes to life in this thoroughly original new Disney Classic. Drawing inspiration from its classic heritage Disney creates an inspired story unlike any you've experienced before. Filled with excitement fun and incredible music from the legendary Alan Menken ENCHANTED is the ultimate fish-out-of-water adventure. For princess-to-be Giselle life is a fairy tale -- until she's banished from the animated land of Andalasia and thrust into the very unmagical live-action world of modern-day Manhattan. When a cynical no-nonsense divorce lawyer comes to her aid little does he realize that this joyful wide-eyed innocent is about to enchant him.ENCHANTED -- the musical comedy that will have your entire family under its spell.System Requirements:Running Time: 107 minutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 786936716023 Manufacturer No: 5238803

Life is idyllic in the fairytale world where conflict is minimal and breaking into song solves every problem, but what happens when a princess from the fairy world gets magically transported into the real world? Enchanted begins in the animated fairytale world of Andalasia where Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) is destined to marry Prince Edward (James Marsden) and live happily ever after. Problem is, Edward's step-mother Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon) doesn't want to give up the throne and will do anything to get Giselle out of Edward's life. Queen Narissa's solution is to push Giselle into a well that magically lands Giselle smack in the middle of the real world--the center of Time Square in New York City, to be exact. This launches the live-action portion of the film where Giselle immediately realizes that things are frighteningly different in this new world and that she is ill-prepared for the callous ways of the people who inhabit it. Giselle finds herself alone on a stormy night in the wrong end of town, but a chance encounter with Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and his princess-loving daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey) leads to a warm, safe place to spend the night and the beginnings of a complicated, yet compelling relationship. As Giselle begins to question the fairy-tale truths she's always inherently believed, Robert's outlook on life and love also begins to change significantly. Parallels to the classic Disney fairytales, Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty abound in the form of a King's and Queen's ball, small animals and rodents who clean house when called, the threat of poisoned apples, characters impulsively breaking into song, and the power of the kiss of true love and the absurd juxtaposition of fairytale idealism and stark reality is hilariously funny. Features music by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz of Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame fame, Wicked's Broadway Elpheba Idina Menzel as Nancy, and even a brief appearance by former Princess voice talent Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas). Enchanted is one of the best, most entertaining Disney films of the year. (Ages 6 and older with parental guidance due to some scary images and mild innuendo) --Tami Horiuchi

Beyond Enchanted

Disney Princesses on DVD

Paperback

Soundtrack

Speed Racer - Episodes 1-11

The world's favorite high-octane animated hero is back!Roaring into action aboard his trusty Mach-5 it's the intrepid young race car driver who sparked an international cult phenomenon: the one-and-only Speed Racer!Now for the first time ever the first eleven episodes of this classic hugely popular "Japanimation" series are brought together in this special limited edition DVD. Turbo-charged with all of Speed Racer's trademark animated thrills offbeat humor unforgettable characters and cliff-hanger action these collectible specially rematsered episodes are the stuff of every fan's dreams.So fasten your seatbelts-and join Speed girlfriend Trixie Speed's two brothers one mischievous monkey and an outrageous assortment of villains for one fast-lane no-brakes nonstop adventure after another! Ready...Set...Go Speed Racer Go!Includes: The Great Plan Part 1 The Great Plan Part 2Challenge of theiMasked Racer Part 1Challenge of theiMasked Racer Part 2The Secret Engine Part 1The Secret Engine Part 2The Race Against theiMammoth Car Part 1The Race Against theiMammoth Car Part 2The Most Dangerous Race Part 1The Most Dangerous Race Part 2The Most Dangerous Race Part 3System Requirements:Running Time: 120 Minutes. Copyright 2003 Artisan Entertainment.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 012236116509 Manufacturer No: 14591

One of the first "Japanimation" series to air in the U.S., Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go) debuted in syndication in September 1967. Eighteen-year-old Speed Racer wants to become a race car driver, but his father, automotive engineer "Pops" Racer, "blows a gasket" at the idea. Pops, who designed the amazing Mach 5, relents when Speed demonstrates his extraordinary driving skills. He embarks on a series of fantastic adventures that pit him and his friends against Skull Duggery, Snake Oiler, Mr. Wiley, and the Alpha Gang. With their wide chins, large mouths, and small eyes, the Speed Racer characters reflect the influence of contemporary Hanna-Barbara series, rather than the indigenous style the Japanese animation industry would later develop. Members of Gen-X who grew up watching the original show will enjoy this "collector's edition" that offers the first 11 episodes, a theme song sing-along, a villains' gallery, and an interactive demonstration of controls of the Mach 5. (Unrated: suitable for ages 6 and older: mild cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon

Bee Movie (Widescreen Edition)

Bee Movie is a comedy that will change everything you think you know about bees. Having just graduated from college a bee by the name of Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) finds himself disillusioned with the prospect of having only one career choice honey. As he ventures outside of the hive for the first time he breaks one of the cardinal rules of the bee world and talks to a human a New York City florist named Vanessa (Renee Zellweger). He is shocked to discover that the humans have been stealing and eating the bee s honey for centuries. He ultimately realizes that his true calling in life is to set the world right by suing the human race. That is until the ensuing chaos upsets the very balance of nature. It is up to Barry to prove that even a little bee can spell big changes in the world.System Requirements:Running Time; 90 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 097361179445 Manufacturer No: 117944

There aren't a lot of choices in a bee's life: a bee attends a few days of school, graduates from college, and chooses a job in the hive that he'll labor at for the rest of his life. Barry (Jerry Seinfeld) is different from his best friend Adam (Matthew Broderick) and all the other bees: he wants to see the world outside the hive and can't begin to contemplate doing the same job for his entire life. Naturally, the life of the "pollen jock" bees appeals to Barry because it's the only job that takes a bee outside the hive and into the larger human world. Once outside the hive, Barry breaks the most sacred bee law and speaks to a human named Vanessa (Renée Zellweger) in order to thank her for saving his life. A relationship quickly blossoms and leads Barry to the discovery that humans are stealing honey from the bees and selling it for their own profit. Vowing to hurt the humans the one place they'll feel it, Barry brings a legal suit against the honey industry and the courtroom drama begins. There are some hysterical moments in the film, as one would expect from a Seinfeld production, and an abundance of one-liners, double-meanings, slapstick humor, and innuendo-laden dialogue that will keep adults guffawing throughout the show. Still, the whole concept of seeing the life of a common pest through non-human eyes is getting repetitive thanks to films like Ratatouille, Flushed Away, Open Season, and Over the Hedge. It should be noted, though, that this first foray into animation by Jerry Seinfeld was four years in production due to its collaborative nature, so its theme may actually have well predated all of the aforementioned films. Children ages 5 and older will love the bees' silly antics, though many of the jokes will go right over their heads and parents should be cautioned about some mildly suggestive humor. More than just a comical film about the life of one very different honeybee, Bee Movie is a social commentary that pokes fun at human behavior while stressing the importance of doing even the most menial job well and championing the power of working together toward a common goal. There's even a lesson to be learned from the bees about controlling one's temper. --Tami Horiuchi

Speed Racer - Episodes 12-23

In this second set of adventures, Speed and his friends race against a madman's robot-controlled car in "Race for Revenge." Trixie gets jealous when Speed pays too much attention to the pretty title character in "The Girl Daredevil." In "The Desperate Desert Race," the gang is taken prisoner by rebel army leader Ali ben Schemer, a character who may offend Arab-American viewers.

When Mach Go Go Go debuted in syndication in the U.S. as Speed Racer in 1967, the series had been extensively re-edited to excise much of the violence. These edits cause some continuity problems: in "Girl Daredevil," new tires appear on the Mach-5 between two scenes, and a villain steals the car, although it was out of gas minutes earlier. As the exploits of Speed, Trixie, Sparks, Spritle, and Chim Chim remain a touchstone for fans who grew up watching them, members of Gen-Y are unlikely to be troubled by these awkward moments. (Unrated, suitable for ages 6 and older: cartoon violence, tobacco use, minor ethnic stereotypes) --Charles Solomon

Cinderella (Two-Disc Special Edition)

The most celebrated of all the Disney classics CINDERELLA is also known as one of Walt Disney's all-time favorite films. CINDERELLA has enchanted generations with its spellbinding story charming music and endearing characters that live in your heart forever. The beloved fairy tale becomes pure Disney magic as beautiful Cinderella shares her dreams of romance and a better life with the lovable mice Gus and Jaq. When Cinderella's cruel stepmother prevents her from attending the Royal Ball the delightful Fairy Godmother appears! With a wave of her wondrous wand and a bouncy "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo" the Fairy Godmother transforms a simple pumpkin into a magical coach -- and Cinderella's rags into a gorgeous gown. At the ball Cinderella falls in love with Prince Charming but must flee before the stroke of midnight breaks the spell! Now with an all-new digital restoration Disney's Enhanced Home Theater Mix and all-new games and music videos this 2-Disc Special Edition of Cinderella is the perfect fit for everyone who believes dreams really do come true. Also available on Video.Bonus Features The public made CINDERELLA one of the highest-grossing films of the year and Disney's most successful release since BAMBI. In fact it was one of the top-grossing films of 1950 pulling in $4 million during its initial release. Animators were having trouble drawing Lucifer the cat in CINDERELLA when Walt Disney saw animator Ward Kimball's cat a furry calico and declared "There's your Lucifer." System Requirements: Running Time 76 MinFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: G UPC: 786936239294 Manufacturer No: 3502403

Worry not, Disney fans--this special edition DVD of the beloved Cinderella won't turn into a pumpkin at the strike of midnight. One of the most enduring animated films of all time, the Disney-fied adaptation of the gory Brothers Grimm fairy tale became a classic in its own right, thanks to some memorable tunes (including "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes," "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo," and the title song) and some endearingly cute comic relief.

The famous slipper (click for larger image)

We all know the story--the wicked stepmother and stepsisters simply won't have it, this uppity Cinderella thinking she's going to a ball designed to find the handsome prince an appropriate sweetheart, but perseverance, animal buddies, and a well-timed entrance by a fairy godmother make sure things turn out all right. There are a few striking sequences of pure animation--for example, Cinderella is reflected in bubbles drifting through the air--and the design is rich and evocative throughout. It's a simple story padded here agreeably with comic business, particularly Cinderella's rodent pals (dressed up conspicuously like the dwarf sidekicks of another famous Disney heroine) and their misadventures with a wretched cat named Lucifer. There's also much harrumphing and exposition spouting by the King and the Grand Duke. It's a much simpler and more graceful work than the more frenetically paced animated films of today, which makes it simultaneously quaint and highly gratifying. --David Kronke

DVD Features

For another of its classic films, Disney delivers another dazzling DVD with a gorgeous, razor-sharp picture and 5.1 sound. (Note: the 1949 film is properly presented in full-screen format, 1.33 aspect ratio, because widescreen films weren't made until the '50s.) The best part of the supplemental features is the archival material, the absolute highlight of which is two unused songs, "Cinderella's Work Song" (in which Cinderella imagines multiplying herself à la the Sorcerer's Apprentice) and "Dancing on a Cloud."

Bippity-boppity-boo! (click for larger image)

Because these numbers were never animated, they're accompanied by stylish illustrations from the Disney artists, and they're simply marvelous to look at. The artist of much of that material, Mary Blair, gets her due in a 15-minute featurette, while the better known "Nine Old Men" are the subject of a round-table discussion among some of today's top animators. In addition, a 38-minute documentary covers their contributions to specific characters of Cinderella as well as the film in general and the vocal cast. Also on the historical side is "The Cinderella That Almost Was," tracking the development of the project through decades of original Disney concepts, characters, and songs, including the 1922 silent "Laugh-o-Gram," which is also included in its entirety.

The pumpkin transformed (click for larger image)

Additional musical material includes three radio programs and a short promo of the movie by Perry Como, in which he summarizes the plot amid some songs by the Fontaine Sisters, star Ilene Woods, and the host himself. Seven other unused songs (17 minutes total) are available in audio-only. The material for kids is on the sparse side, consisting of two music videos, Disney Channel personality Sally (from "Mike's Super Short Show") learning how to become a princess with the help of the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition crew and others, a minor dancing-princess feature, and a DVD-ROM design studio. Oddest extra: ESPN's "top Cinderella stories," including the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and Joe Namath's New York Jets, although stories on Mia Hamm and tennis's Williams sisters should appeal to the film's primary target audience of young girls. --David Horiuchi

Cinderella Throughout the Years

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1957 Television Production)	Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1965)	The Slipper and the Rose (1976)
Faerie Tale Theatre - Cinderella (1982)	Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997)	Ever After - A Cinderella Story(1998)

Ice Age [Blu-ray]

They came... they thawed... they conquered the hearts of audiences everywhere in the coolest animated adventure of all time! Heading south to avoid the bad case of global frostbite a group of migrating misfit creatures embark on a hilarious quest to reunite a human baby with his tribe. Featuring an all-star voice cast including Ray Romano John Leguizamo and Denis Leary ICE AGE is "a pure delight" (New York Daily News) for all ages!Episodes-Bonus Features:Robots PromoIce Age 2 SneakWidescreen and Pan and Scan FeatureCommentary by Director Chris Wedge and Co-Director Carlos SaldahnaSet Top Games (3)Hide and EckFrozen PairsPlaying DarwinROM ContentDVD ROM Games (2)Super Dodo BallSid ShredsDVD ROM PrintablesSnowflake Flurry (Ornaments) Ice Digest Magazine2 months Migration CalendarHanging with the Herd MobileSub-Zero Heroes Adventure Board GamesIce Box TheatreSystem Requirements:Run Time: 81 minsFormat: BLU-RAY DISC Genre: CHILDREN/FAMILY Rating: PG UPC: 024543427698 Manufacturer No: 2242769

Schoolhouse Rock! (Special 30th Anniversary Edition)

It's a good bet that any American kid growing up in the '70s or '80s learned some elementary lesson from the seminal musical series Schoolhouse Rock!. Airing from 1973 to 1984 (and often revived), the ABC Saturday morning shorts effortlessly introduced kids to grammar, science, multiplication, money, and American history--three minutes at a time. In one smart, comprehensive 2-disc set, all 46 songs and plenty of extras are collected. The four creators developed the series slowly, a welcome diversion from their advertising agency jobs, and ended up taking home four Emmys over the years. The background material includes 10 audio commentaries and a making-of feature for the new song, "I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College." The DVD subtitle option is a great bonus for those who need to know every word from such favorites as "Three Is a Magic Number," "Interjections," "I'm Just a Bill," and "Conjunction Junction." (Ages 3 and older) --Doug Thomas

Conjunction Junction, what's your function? In the 70's and 80's, the catchy Schoolhouse Rock tunes taught millions of children the fundamentals of math, grammar, science, history and money. Relive the pop culture sensation with the SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK SPECIAL 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION DVD, which includes every song from the landmark series in a collectible 2-disc DVD. Among the over 50 tunes are such classics as "Conjunction Junction," "Three is a Magic Number," "I'm Just A Bill" and "Electricity, Electricity." The DVD features an all-new song about the Electoral College, "I'm Gonna Send Your Vote To College" written by the show's original creators.