This set offers a selection of special features such as audio commentaries with the film creators, a “making-of” featurette plus a bonus TV episode of “The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes” Thor: Tales of Asgard will be available in a Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD.

SYNOPSIS
Before he ever lifted his mighty hammer, there was the sword. Fantastic journeys beckon from the mysterious nine realms. Places of dark mists and fiery voids. Of winged creatures and giants in the ice. And the most alluring quest of all – the search for the legendary Lost Sword of Surtur. Hungry for adventure, Thor secretly embarks on the journey of a lifetime, joined by his loyal brother Loki, whose budding sorcery equips him with just enough magic to conjure up trouble, along with the Warriors Three – a band of boastful travelers reluctant to set sail on any adventure that might actually be dangerous. But what starts out as a harmless treasure hunt quickly turns deadly, and Thor must now prove himself worthy of the destiny he covets by saving Asgard itself.

BLU-RAY COMBO PACK & DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
-Audio commentary with Supervising Producer Craig Kyle and Screenwriter Greg Johnson
-Audio commentary with Supervising Director Gary Hartle, Animation Director Sam Liu and Character Designer Phil Bourassa
-Worthy: The Making of Thor: Tales of Asgard” featurette
-The Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes Bonus Episode from the new hit TV series

PROGRAM INFORMATION
Year of Production: 2009
Title Copyright: Marvel, Thor, all related trademarks, service marks, character names and the distinctive likenesses thereof are proprietary to Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries and are used with permission. “THOR: TALES OF ASGARD” COPYRIGHT © 2009 Marvel Entertainment. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Type: Home Entertainment Premiere
Rating: Not Rated
Genre: Television, Animation, Action, Adventure, Children
Closed Captioned: DVD – English; Blu-Ray – English SDH
Subtitles: English
DVD Format: 16×9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Blu-ray Format: 1080P High Definition 16×9 Widescreen (1.78:1)
Feature Run Time: 77 minutes
DVD Audio Status: 5.1 Dolby Digital and Spanish 2.0 Dolby Digital
Blu-ray Audio Status: English 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Website: http://www.marvel.com

Technorati Tags: Thor: Tales of Asgard, Marvel Comics, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Thor, Comic Book, Comic Book Character, Blu-Ray, DVD, cartoon, animated feature, animation

Here are some clips from the movie, which show why this is a Disney classic (and why we love it so much!)!!!!

This is my favorite clip of all. The voices of Bambi and Thumper, , filmed the movie in 1942, yet these two young boys never met, at the time. The View introduced them for the first time, recently. This was defintely a bittersweet reunion.

Bambi is now in stores on Blu-Ray and DVD. Have you picked up your copy of this great, Disney classic?

Technorati Tags: Disney Classic, Bambi, Clips, Video, Disney Movies, Blu-Ray, Release, Fun, Extras

Release Info:
Original Air Date: August 21, 1942
DVD Release Date: March 1, 2011
Online Availability: Amazon for $26.99

Disney has the distinguished ability to say that they have made movies that children will never forget. With each Diamond Edition film that comes out, I become giddy, remembering watching the film as a child. One of my favorite films growing up, especially by Disney, was Bambi. Luckily for me, I was born a female, because for years I hated boys that enjoyed hunting season just because of this one film. That’s one of the many beautiful parts of Bambi. It teaches children the importance of the forest and all of the lives living in it. I wouldn’t go as far as saying it made me a vegetarian (because it didn’t), though I know some that went that route, but I will say that I have yet to eat venison and I’m not looking to try it anytime soon.

Now that I have children of my own I love being able to watch these movies with my kids and my nephew. The movies are still as important and exciting to me as they were when I was a child. Of course, they are even more exciting now because I can see the excitement the kids are experiencing and that makes it so much better. Knowing how my mom felt when she watched these movies with me, is an interesting, and exciting thing. It’s also nice to be able to put in a film that the whole family can enjoy. This isn’t one of those films that you can stomach for the sake of the kids. You end up actually enjoying it, which can be rare with some children’s films.

Bambi receives a top quality treatment with a beautifully restored audio and visual rendering, a plethora of bonus features, and a plot as timeless as the day it was written. I rarely say that any movie is must own, but this is a must own release. If you own the DVD I recommend selling it on Amazon and buying this combo pack. With this you will receive both the DVD and Blu-ray in a stellar set. Don’t let this one pass you buy because it will be great for the kids and when they have kids you will be pulling it out to experience the enjoyment with a new generation when the time comes.

The Bambi Plot
Bambi is a story of life, love, and loss. A doe gives birth to a young fawn that is known as Bambi. The young fawn is shown learning to become an adult. we are with him through his first steps and the first words that he speaks. We also have a chance to meet some of his friends, Thumper, a young rabbit, and Flower, a skunk that Bambi picks a name for, much to Flowers delight.

As Bambi gets older, his mother takes him into the meadow to show him the beauty of the open forest, but also to explain to him the danger that exists in the meadow. With nowhere to hide, she explains that deers in the meadow are in danger so they need to do what is necessary to protect themselves. Bambi has a chance to meet Faline, a female fawn, and his father while he is in the meadow. His father saves him from danger and explains that “man” was in the forest, which is why they had to retreat for their lives.

The complete life cycle of the seasons is shown, with the playful young animals enjoying the winter as they slide around on the ice and play in the snow. This leads to the melting of the snow, and the rebirth of Spring, though it does not come without some loss. As Bambi gets older and grows into an adult he learns that life can be hard, but it is also filled with amazing moments and beautiful, loving relationships.

Despite being a young deer, Bambi is put in a position where he has to save the love of his life, from other male suitors and eventually from man, who only sees the animals in the forest as food or a prize in a sport. As the meadow lights up in fire set by man, it is up to Bambi to save Faline so that they can live happily ever after.

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

Audio/Visual:
I am so happy that Disney was the studio to release Bambi. The reason for that is that Disney is notoriously known for providing flawless restorations for their older movies. Bambi is no exception. This movie looks absolutely gorgeous. I am not sure how they managed to take a film as old as this one and make it look brand new, but that is exactly what they did. The colors are lavish and actually pop on the screen with beautiful, rich greens in the forrest, bright flowers, and a natural earthy look where it fits in the picture. The black levels are also amazing. The detail is comparable to a movie just made, with a strong background presence and crisp lines on every element of the film. It appears that everything that the animators attempted to portray is alive and well in this feature. Also worth noting is the fact that Bambi is free of any annoying factors. You will not spot dirt, noise, or any compression problems. The only thing to see here is a beautifully restored classic animated film.

Bambi offers a DTS-HD 7.1 sound mix that delivers everything you need to enjoy this movie and more. The background sound is heard clearly and will allow you to experience the sounds of the forrest as you laugh with the main characters in the forrest. The dialogue remains clear throughout the film and the musical segments sound slightly aged, but amazing regardless of age. Other audio tracks included are the original Dolby 2.0 track and 5.1 tracks in French and Spanish. Subtitles are also available in all three languages.

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

Bonus Features:
While many special releases like this will overload you with special features, Bambi does just the opposite. Most of the special features here are worth watching and some of them are worth watching more than once. This will be a great offering for Disney lovers and huge Bambi fans alike.

Bambi: Inside Walt’s Story Meetings – For me, this stands out as one of the coolest special features in the Bambi lineup. Using the Picture-in-Picture format, you have a chance to see a recreation of the story and the meetings that Walt Disney had with his team during the production process. This featurette was made using transcripts that the filmmakers kept of the meetings. While I am not a fan of commentaries for the most part, something like this is similar, but ends up offering plenty of information you wouldn’t have received in a commentary. Included here is a selected amount of archival footage, photographs from the production, sketches and concept art, and even color tests. If you want to up the ante you can press the enter button when you are prompted and you receive a plethora of additional information. Among the more notable points of this area are classic animated shorts, anecdotes, and secret featurettes that are only found in this area.

The Making of Bambi: A Prince is Born: This six part documentary lasts for around an hour. It includes the areas of Story, Characters, Actors, Art Design, Music, and History. If there was any questions you had or things you wanted to know about Bambi chances are you will find that information here.

If you’re a fan of Interactive Galleries you will find hundreds of pictures in various sections. Included are character design sketches, production photos, visual development shots, storyboards, and background paintings.

Eight minutes of Deleted Scenes offer four deleted shots. Two of the scenes, “Two Leaves” and ” Bambi Stuck on a Reed” have not been available in any other releases. Along with the two new scenes, are two scenes that have been available on various Bambi DVD releases. Those two scenes are “Winter Grass” and “Bambi’s First Snow.”

“Twitterpated” is a song that never made it in the movie. This two minute deleted song is included along with the other special features.

Inside the Disney Archives: This nine minute segment gives you a chance to experience some of the original Bambi artwork in the Disney Vault with one of the studio animators.

Disney Second Screen: Second Screen is a new feature that allows viewers to synch up their computers or iPads to receive additional downloadable content

Disney’s Big Book of Knowledge: This one is perfect for the kids. This gives them a chance to check out the forest in more detail. The kids have a chance to meet Bambi and his friends. Some games are also available in this section.

Tricks of the Trade: This seven minute section has Walt Disney showing off the multi-plane camera and various animation techniques of the Disney animators.

The Old Mill lasts for nine minutes and includes the 1937 Academy Award winning animated short “Silly Symphony”

Also included are the original theatrical trailer, Disney View (this allows you to fill the black spaces on your television screen with artwork) and a variety of sneak peeks for such movies as Winnie the Pooh, Bambi 2, Tangled, The Lion King, and Tinker Bell and the Mysterious Winter Woods.

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Classic Disney movies are considered must own films. This is what it really comes down to. They are must own because the films are generally fabulous and the modern treatment that Disney gives them is nothing short of fabulous. Bambi looks and sounds amazing. This is as close to a modern-looking movie as something can be that was made decades ago. Most importantly, Bambi is one of those ageless tales that breeze through the generational gaps. Parents will enjoy this with their children and in many cases this will be a movie that grandkids could enjoy with their grandparents. While you likely own Bambi in other formats, you owe it to yourself to pick this up in Bluray. It will be well worth the money spent.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Blu-Ray Review, Bambi, Two-Disc, Diamond Edition, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, Disney, Classic, Animation, Disney Movie, Thumper, Flower

Release Info:
Original Air Date: December 21, 1982
DVD Release Date: December 7, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $11.99

Love Yogi Bear or hate him, it’s hard to find fault with Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper. This truly is an All-Star Spectacular, as it features the best of the best from Hanna-Barbera cartoons. This special aired in December of 1982. I was just a wee lad, a few days shy of turning 2, so I can’t say I remember the original airing of this Christmas Special. However, I am sure if I had been old enough to, I would have been watching it to see Yogi and Boo Boo, Huckleberry Hound, Fred Flintstone, Barney Rubble, Quick Draw McGraw, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddy, Magilla Gorilla, Wally Gator, Pixie and Dixie, Ranger Smith, Yakky Doodle, Snagglepus, Hokey Wolf and Mr. Jinks. Yogi wasn’t my favorite of the Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters, but I did enjoy watching the shows and specials when I was a kid.

We received our copy of Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper a little late for the holidays. Still, it was a welcome addition to our holiday lineup, which we tend to watch from Thanksgiving up until the New Year. Thanks to the inclusion of Fred Flintstone and other Hanna-Barbera legends this DVD will not only be enjoyable to Yogi fans, but to Hanna-Barbera fans, as well. Some of my favorite cartoon characters are in this list. Beyond Fred and Barney, I will always have a fondness for Magilla Gorilla, which was the first DVD box set we ever reviewed, by the way.

While this might not be a holiday classic in the sense that it originally comes to mind when the snow begins to fall, I will say that it goes along perfectly with all of the other cartoon classics that our family tends to watch every year, like Garfield, The Chipmunks, and Charlie Brown/Peanuts. Both kids and adults can appreciate the sentimental story offered in this All-Star comedy caper. It’s typical holiday fare, with a lesson to be learned in a pure, fantastical 80s cartoon style.

The Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper Plot
Before offering a synopsis, you might be wondering how all of these characters end up in the same place. While some of them might fit, it’s a big question how someone like Fred and Barney would be visiting a modern day Yogi when they are from the Stone Age. The simple answer to this is that it’s a cartoon. The kids watching it won’t be asking those questions and the adults shouldn’t care, because this is a video for the holidays and the nostalgia factor should be enough.

The Christmas Caper has Yogi and Boo Boo heading away from Jellystone Park to enjoy the holiday season. Escaping on a bus out of the park, the daring duo have plans to celebrate Christmas with friends in the city (friends that include Quick Draw McGraw and Augie Doggie). While on the run from alerted animal control workers, Yogi dresses up like Santa Claus (and Boo Boo is his elf assistant). The two hide out in a department store. While there he meets young Judy, a girl mad at her rich father, because she just wants a little attention. Despite originally not wanting to be involved, Yogi feels for the young girl and decides to take her under his wing. Unfortunately, what he doesn’t realize is that her father is on the lookout for the bear that kidnapped his baby! Along for the ride are all of the awesome Hanna-Barbera characters that had tried to go to Jellystone to celebrate Christmas with him. Upon returning to the city, they find him and they all decide to have a good old-fashioned holiday party. Yogi is also on the lookout for Judy’s family who he knows must miss her.

Next up is Yogi’s Birthday Party. A plan is hatched to throw Yogi a surprise party with a special show. Of course, the Ranger has no idea how he is going to keep such a thing a secret from Yogi, the bear that has a way of finding out everything. While Yogi doesn’t originally know the details, he does find out there is a Yogi Bear Special planned and he informs everyone in the park, thinking that he will be able to perform in the show. Lucky for Yogi, the plans aren’t set for him to perform because he soon learns he has two left feet and not much talent. Still, he attempts to take some dancing lessons, so that his public isn’t let down. When dance lessons don’t work he heads over to get some voice lessons, but that fails, too. Things get out of hand and Yogi ends up stealing the Ranger’s car, as he is running to get out of dodge. Luckily, they catch Yogi and he is drug onto the stage where he learns that the show is all for his birthday! The show features a great “This is Your Life” kind of segment where his Hanna-Barbera friends show up to wish him happy birthday!

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
You’re dealing with an 80s cartoon in DVD here, so you shouldn’t expect anything magical. This full frame visual presentation is typical of an 80s cartoon. You will see bright, vivid colors and a happy, retro hand-drawn feeling will be present. Along with that you will see instances of noise and dirt. It’s older and it’s obvious that not much work went into cleaning things up. Still these instances are minimal and when they occur they are not so annoying that they cannot be ignored. If you’re watching this mainly for the kids, it’s likely that they won’t even notice these issues. They will spend more time on the show itself and less on the little issues. Either way, things don’t look brand new here and that’s okay, because nothing is brand new.

The audio is available in Dolby Digital mono, which is no surprise. It’s not anything that would hold up to today’s standards, but it’s a cartoon and it gets the job done. Dialogue is easy to understand and the show sounds just fine. Spanish language is also available in the audio options, as are English subtitles should they be needed.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
I suppose Yogi’s Birthday Party is supposed to be a bonus feature, but I added it above. If it was not part of the main draw of the disc, it would be hard for me to recommend buying a DVD with one 20 minute show on it. Still, with the extra addition as a main part of the feature, you receive no bonuses. So, you can consider Yogi’s birthday a bonus or not, as you please. I didn’t, which left me with a selection of two trailers for special features. Unfortunately, I didn’t find them very special at all.

Bonus Features: 0 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Yogi’s All Star Christmas Caper is sugary sweet and fun for the whole family. I am drawn at the price point (Amazon has it listed for over $12), considering you receive less than an hour of content here, but the kids will love it and most adults will enjoy it, too. Holiday movie fans that love watching the same cartoons year after year with family and friends would be a good fit for this DVD. Yogi fans may be able to take it or leave it because at least the Birthday Party has been released before, so this might not be as special for them. Still, if you have kids and want to introduce them to a fun, family special, Yogi Bear and his Hanna-Barbera friends might be a good option.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper, Yogi Bear, Warner Bros, Turner Home Entertainment, Cartoon, Classic Cartoon, Family movie, animated, Hanna Barbera

From the Press Release: “An enchanting underwater adventure begins when the animated triumph THE DOLPHIN: STORY OF A DREAMER dives onto DVD on December 7th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Swim along on a magical journey of destiny and self-discovery, based on Sergio Bambarén’s novel.

Daniel is a little dolphin with big dreams, living in a world where dreams are forbidden. He ventures beyond the safety of his pod and follows his heart into the unknown, in search of the true purpose of life. The journey won’t be easy – he will encounter friends and enemies, paradise and danger, and he must use his heart to navigate the uncharted waters ahead.

A heart-warming, coming-of-age adventure, THE DOLPHIN: STORY OF A DREAMER will make a splash with audiences both young and old and encourages viewers the importance of following their dreams and staying true to their selves. Explore this mystical underworld with a delightful animated treasure that the whole family will cherish.”

We have been given a Coloring Page that your child can download, in celebration of this new film.

TO DOWNLOAD THE COLORING PAGE: CLICK HERE

Technorati Tags: The Dolphin: Story of a Dreamer, Coloring Page, 20th Century Fox, DVD Release, Fox Movies, Animated Film, Coming of Age Tale, Dolphins

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: June 18, 2010
DVD Release Date: November 2, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

I have long been a fan of Toy Story. My son was a baby when the first movies came out, and by the time he was a toddler he loved Woody and Buzz as much as I did. We even had his room decorated with a Toy Story theme. The first two movies, Toy Story and Toy Story 2 are near and dear to my heart. I was a young, new mom and my baby was as enamored with Toy Story as I was. This was when Pixar was first making itself known and it did so with a bang. You honestly will not find a better animation company for families, today. The stories are genuine, heartfelt, and parents can fall in love with them as much as their kids.

Naturally, when I heard they were making a Toy Story 3, I was excited. By the end, I was disappointed, heartbroken and saddened that such a story had to come to an end. I am a purist. I believe the toys should stay with Andy, and it broke my heart when something else, I won’t spoil it more than I already have, happened. Yes, Pixar can make a great story, but I did not want this movie to end the way it did. Not after the adventures of the two other films, which showed Andy’s love and adoration for his toys. Who would not want them to stay together forever?

Of course, I am finding I am in the minority. My son, now a teenager, loved it. His six year old cousin, who loved Toy Story when he was a few years younger loved it, too. My mom adored it, as well. Maybe it just hit me on a much more personal level. As Andy grew up, so did my little boy. He still loves his toys, but I know soon, it will happen to him. He will be too old to want to play with his toys. He will want to keep them stored in the garage and I will have to face the reality my baby is not a baby anymore. Perhaps I am already starting to and that is why I was disappointed. I wanted Andy to hold on to his toys as much as I want my son to hold on to his youth.

Now that my personal thoughts and story are out of the way, let me tell you, Pixar is amazing. I love almost every single film Pixar has released. My favorite Pixar movies are Up and WALL-E, but I will always keep the Toy Story franchise in a special place, in my heart. Pixar manages to capture the human emotion in a way no other company can and for that I am grateful. Even in the few disappointing moments Pixar movies have had, they still show greatness, realism and longevity.

The Toy Story 3 Plot
Andy is all grown up and ready to go to college. His mom tells him he must decide what to do with his old toys. Anything he does not want is being thrown out. His sister’s old toys are being donated to Sunnyside Daycare. Andy decides to take Woody to college with him and places all the others in a bag, intent on storing them in the attic. When his sister needs help with her toy cleaning, he leaves the bag on the ground and his mom mistakes it for trash. Woody sees this and tries to save the toys, while they save themselves from the trash man, putting themselves in the Sunnyside box, because they believe Andy no longer wants them.

Woody attempts to return to Andy’s but is found by Bonnie, a girl who plays with him. However, he learns from Bonnie’s toys that the toys at Sunnyside are held at the mercy of Lots-O’-Huggin’ Bear, a disgruntled toy who has convinced another toy, Big Baby, to help him lead a life of organized crime and control the other toys at the Daycare. Woody must return to free his friends, who are being held captive by Lotso at night and nasty, icky toddlers during the day. Woody also must contend with a reset to factory default Buzz who believes he is a Space Ranger and helps Lotso guard the prisoners, keeping order in the Daycare.

With just himself to rely on Woody must get the toys away from Lotso and convince them that they need to return to Andy, who never wanted to give them up to begin with. However, he must also face the realization that Andy is no longer a little boy and therefore, their glory days of playing with him are over. In the end, Woody must decide what is best for himself, the rest of the toys, and Andy, a best friend he’s watched grow up.

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

Audio/Visual:
The Toy Story 3 package is a Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack. This is a four disc set so the audio/visual qualities vary slightly. There are two Blu-Ray discs, one with the main feature and one chocked full of bonuses. The third disc is a DVD and the fourth features a Digital Copy.

Toy Story 3, presented in 1080p, High Def picture looks absolutely stunning. The Blu-Ray offers a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, with colors that burst off the screen and the level of detail that makes Blu-Ray truly as impressive as it is. Every minute detail has been emphasized, with individual drawing completely visible, shading that emphasizes the characters and every minute feature about them, and a color palette that looks like it comes from the biggest crayon box known to man. There are absolutely no technical flaws that a visible to the human eye. This is where Blu-Ray thrives. Pixar presents animation perfection with Toy Story 3. I expected nothing less from Pixar, as they are committed towards excellence in every area concerning animation.

When it comes to the Blu-Ray audio, Toy Story 3 offers a fully immersive 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio mix. You will feel like you are at the movie theater, with action movie quality sound presented by Pixar. The sound effects blast through the speakers. The soundtrack swells into your movie viewing room enveloping you in its majestic sound. The audio is clear and crisp, with that nice pop that makes dialogue so great to hear. PLUS there was absolutely no need to volume toggle. Other soundtracks included in this set include ENGLISH: DTS-HD MA 5.1, SPANISH: DD-EX 5.1, and FRENCH: DD-EX 5.1. Nothing compares to the 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio though. Subtitles are available in English, Spanish and French.

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

Bonus Features:
Toy Story 3 is filled with bonuses. Here is what is available in this four disc combo pack besides the DVD (which we use in the car) and Digital Copy.

Toy Story 3 Disc One – Blu-Ray

‘Day & Night’ Theatrical Short: This feature is six minutes and in HD. It was shown before the movie when it played in theaters. This is a fun little short you will enjoy.

“Buzz Lightyear Mission Logs: The Science of Adventure”: In HD, this feature lasts five minutes. This is a space travel feature that may interest your little space fan. It looks at space travel and how it has progressed and evolved over time.

“Toys!”: This feature is seven minutes long and is in HD. It looks at the task (and challenge) of developing the many new toys in Toy Story 3.

Toy Story 3 Disc Two – Blu-Ray

“The Gang’s All Here”: This 11-minute feature is in HD. In it, we re-meet the voices of Toy Story. This is a bit of a fluff piece, but I do not care. It is fun to see oldies like Tom Hanks and Tim Allen and newbies like Bonnie Hunt and Michael Keaton adding their voices to the legacy of this franchise.

“Studio Stories: Where’s Gordon?”: This two minute long, quickie, HD feature looks into the Pixar building’s new hidden office created by Andrew Gordon. This one is just silly and kids might not like it much.

“Studio Stories: Cereal Bar”: At one minute, this HD feature is hardly worth it. This looks at the room devoted to cereal at the Pixar studio.

“Studio Stories: Clean Start”: This HD feature is three minutes long. It is funnier than the other two but still pointless to this set. It looks at the Pixar shaving heads endeavor and the plot to get luxurious, lock-flowing Lee Unkrich to shave, too.

“Goodbye Andy”: Watch this only after watching the movie. It looks at animating the humans better. This feature also talks about the ending and why Andy was motivated to make the decision he did.

“Accidental Toymakers”: Back in HD, this four minute feature is all about the toys. It explores why actual toymakers did not want to make Toy Story toys.

“A Toy’s Eye View: Creating a Whole New Land”: This HD, five minutes feature shows Disney Parks incorporating Toy Story into the various Disney parks including the creation of Disneyland Paris’ Toy Story land!

“Epilogue”: The HD, four minutes long epilogue is in its glory minus credits.

“Roundin’ up a Western Opening”: For six minutes, Lee Unkrich discusses the old west, opening sequence. It is in HD.

“Bonnie’s Playtime: A Story Roundtable”: The big wigs at Pixar talk about Bonnie’s playtime and how that scene was developed. It’s six minutes worth of info and in HD.

“Beginnings: Setting a Story in Motion”: The eight minute, HD feature has screenwriter, Michael Arndt, gives a how-to lesson in writing animated feature screenplays.

“Life of a Shot”: This seven minutes of HD explores the visual world and the detail that went into designing it. From color to visual effects, no visual stone is left unturned.

Making of ‘Day & Night’: The making of the short ‘Day and Night’. This feature is 2 minutes and in HD.

“Paths to Pixar: Editorial”: A look at the editing process for the movie. This is four minutes and in HD.

Toy Story Trivia Dash: It’s a Toy Story Trivia Game. What can we say? DVD games just aren’t that cool!

HD Bonus Content:

Cine-Explore Picture-in-Picture Commentary: This is a very detailed, thorough, commentary. It is one of the best I have seen/heard and it features Lee Unrkrich, the director and Darla K. Anderson, the producer. Everything you wanted to know about Toy Story 3 is offered by these two. The picture in picture is perfect for the commentary experience.

Beyond the Toybox: An Alternative Commentary Track: A less dazzling, and yes, alternative audio commentary features production designer, Bob Pauley, supervising animator, Bobby Podesta, story supervisor, Jason Katz, supervising animator, Mike Venturini, and supervising technical director, Guido Quaroni. It is not as knowledgeable or as interesting as the Unkrich/Anderson commentary, but if you want to know about the tech behind the movie, it is a MUST to listen to.

Publicity Features

Grab Bag: Promo clips for the movie – 4 minutes in HD

Ken’s Dating Tips: Funny dating tips from Ken – 1 minute in HD

Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear Commercial: commercial for this toy – 30 seconds in HD

Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear Commercial 2 for Japan: The commercial for a Japanese audience – 30 seconds in HD

Making of Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear Commercials: The making-of for these commercials – 1 minute in HD

Internet Chat: Buzz and Woody internet chat – – 1 minute in HD

Security Cam: Promo for Toy Story 3 Horror Style – 1 minute in HD

Gadgets: A car commercial/promo clip – 1 minute in HD

‘Dancing with the Stars’ at Pixar – A look at DWTS helping create the Pixar dance sequences – – 2 minutes in HD

Character Intros: Intros to new Toy Story 3 characters. – 2 minutes in HD

Multiple Trailers (over 12 minutes worth of Trailers for Toy Story 3)

Poster Gallery – in HD

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
While I was slightly disappointed in the ending to Toy Story 3, I recognize that most kids will love it. This, like most other Pixar films, looks absolutely stunning in Blu-Ray. While this has to be my least favorite of the Toy Story movies, I do realize the adventure had to come to an end and the creators found a new purpose for Buzz, Woody, and the rest of the gang. If you own Toy Story and Toy Story 2, you will want to complete the collection with Toy Story 3 and this Blu-Ray/DVD combo is just the way to do it. We recommend it as a holiday, gift, as well, since it has come out just in time for the holidays.

Overall Rating: 4.21 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Toy Story 3, Blu-Ray DVD Combo, Blu-Ray Review, Disney, Pixar, Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Family movie, animated

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: June 22, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.49

I like cartoons, but I’m not in love with most of the Warner Bros. cartoons. That probably sounds wrong, so let me clarify this statement a little bit. I enjoy watching WB, old school cartoons like Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry, but I don’t go ga-ga for them like some people I know. Watching these cartoons is a fun way to shoot the breeze, but I’m not going to freak out if I do not see another Tom and Jerry cartoon again. I will live and the world will go on turning.

In contrast, my kid is nutso for these old cartoons, especially Tom and Jerry. This dynamic, cat and mouse duo are his favorites next to the Chronological Donald cartoons. He is so in love with these cartoons that the minute we get the DVDs he wants to watch them. He will drop everything, especially his homework, to see the same hijinks Tom and Jerry have been pulling far before he or I were born. Thus, we own pretty much every Tom and Jerry DVD set Warner Bros. has put out. We have the Spotlight Collections, the Volume DVDs, the movies, the new incarnations of the cartoon…you name it.

You have to understand my son is a teen, but he also has Aspergers. He has a major problem with re-watching shows, cartoons or movies he has already seen, with a few exceptions. There are certain movies he will watch over and over to the point where his mother and I could go our entire lives without seeing these films again and be happy. He did this with Chicago (and he sang along – knowing every word of the movie and the songs). He did this with I Am Sam. As much as I’ve heard, “Why are we watching this? I’ve already seen it,” I must confess, he has never said this about Tom and Jerry. Like the aformentioned films, he could watch these cartoons over and over with nary a complaint.

What he does not realize, because he is oblivious to censorship, is that some of the shorts in this set have been altered for content. Kids need to understand, as much as adults, about the tawdry history of blackface and how prejudice was ever present in everything, back in the day, including cartoons. What better way to teach them then through cartoons? I watch television with the kids and if something like this comes on we discuss it with them. I do not think it is fair to try and erase this part of history. We can’t pretend everything was hunky-dory and let them think that racism did not exist in the land of imagination and animation. They will eventually grow up and learn the truth; the cartoons of their childhood were a lie.

WB saw the err of their ways in past releases when they reissued DVDs with the shorts in their original format. SO…it boggles the mind why they would turn around and release this set with the edited versions of “The Milky Waif” and “The Little Orphan” and the redubbed version of “The Lonesome Mouse.” It makes no sense. I know many adult fans will be disappointed that these shorts are not in their original form. Besides, my son is a teen. This set isn’t geared towards the little ones. If it was, then maybe the censorship was justified, but it’s not.

Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection Episode Synopsis’
The Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection set is spread across two discs. The first disc features 20 shorts, and the second features a hodge podge of Tom and Jerry memories throughout the years.

Here is a list of what is offered on each disc.

DISC ONE
Oscar Winners and Classics

“Puss Gets the Boot” – The very first short to feature Tom and Jerry. At this time, they were known as Jinx and Jasper. Jasper tries to eat Jinx, but only succeeds in making Mammy Two Shoes mad enough to evict him.

“The Midnight Snack” – Tom interrupts Jerry as he sneaks around the kitchen getting some cheese, his midnight snack. Luckily, Jerry has some tricks up his sleeve.

“Dog Trouble” – Tom antagonizes Jerry, causing him to run in his hole. Jerry escapes after thwarting Tom, but things get interesting when Spike, the bulldog, enters the picture.

“Fraidy Cat” – After listening to the “Witching Hour” on the radio, Tom is very scared by the story being told. Jerry uses this to his advantage to antagonize Tom.

“Puss ‘N Toots” – When Mammy Two Shoes gets a girl cat to watch after, Tom falls in love. He tries to impress her by doing magic tricks with Jerry as his pawn, but, as always, Jerry gets the best of him.

“The Lonesome Mouse” – Jerry gets rid of Tom by causing trouble that Mammy Two Shoes blames on the cat. After a few hours of peace, he realizes things aren’t fun with Tom not around, so he sets out on a quest to frighten Mammy into letting Tom back in.

“Yankee Doodle Mouse” – Jerry heads into his “Cat Raid Shelter” aka mouse hole, where he has plenty of ammunition to take on a pursuing Tom. The two go to “war” and Jerry is set to take on the cat.

“Mouse Trouble” – Frustrated in his failed quest to catch Jerry, Tom finds a book on how to catch mice. He follows the techniques in the book to attempt to catch Jerry and hilarity ensues.

“Mouse in Manhattan” – Jerry leaves the country to head off to live in New York City. However, city life is quite different than life in the country. He begins to realize he might not have it so bad, after all.

“Quiet Please!” – Spike wants to take a nap, but Tom chasing Jerry keeps him wide awake. While Tom is content to try to let him sleep while still pursuing Jerry, Jerry likes seeing Tom chased by Spike.

“The Milky Waif” – When baby Nibbles is left on Jerry’s door, he has no choice but to take care of the little mouse. However, Nibbles is always hungry, so Jerry must find a way to get him lots of milk and protect him from Tom.

“The Cat Concerto” – Tom is playing a piano concerto and he awakens Jerry, who is asleep inside the piano. Jerry sets out to have Tom make a fool of himself, as a result.

“The Little Orphan” – The always hungry Nibbles returns to celebrate Thanksgiving with Jerry. Again, Jerry must find him food, and avoid Tom while doing so. Of course, both are put out by Nibbles’ voracious appetite.

“Saturday Evening Puss” – When Mammy Two Shoes heads out to her Lucky Seven Saturday Night Bridge Club meeting, Tom invites Butch, Lightning and Topsy over for a party/jazz jam session. Unfortunately, Jerry is trying to sleep and he’s not very happy about this loud party.

“The Two Mouseketeers” – Jerry and Nibbles are the two mousketeers. They decide to swipe food from an extravagantly set table, for the King’s Mouseketeers banquet. When Tom has been ordered to guard the banquet food, the two must find a way to eat and run.

“Johann Mouse” – Jerry takes on the part of Johann Mouse, the mouse living in the house of Johann Strauss. Johann Mouse loves music so much and when he dances, he is chased by Johann Strauss’ cat, played by Tom.

“Touché, Pussy Cat” – Nibbles has been renamed Tuffy and all he wants to do is become a Mousketeer. It will take quite a bit for him to convince Jerry he deserves to be a mousketeer, especially since he is an excessive talker.

“That’s My Mommy” – When Quacker, a baby duck, wanders away from his mother’s nest, in his egg, and ends up beneath Tom before hatching, he believes Tom is his Mommy because he is the first thing Quacker sees.

“The Egg and Jerry” – Jerry becomes the Mommy this time, when a baby Woodpecker egg rolls into his mousehole after falling out of its nest. When the baby woodpecker hatches, it latches onto Jerry.

“Tops With Pops” – Spike is sleeping with his little son Tyke. When Tom keeps waking the little guy up as he chases Jerry, Spike takes out his anger on the cat.

DVD TWO
Through the Years

“Anchor’s Aweigh Excerpt” -Watch Jerry Dance with Gene Kelly

“Dangerous When Wet Excerpt” – Esther Williams takes a dip with Tom and Jerry

“Pent-house Mouse” – The first short by Chuck Jones, Tom is living it up in a penthouse. Jerry is starving. He is trying to find food at a construction site. When he is lifted up on a steel beam and is transported to Tom’s patio the chase ensues!

“The Cat Above and the Mouse Below” – Another Chuck Jones short where Jerry performs on stage as Signor Thomasino Catti-Cazzaza Baritone. He is singing “Figaro” and it awakens Jerry who is asleep beneath the stage of the opera house. Unable to doze with all the racket, he seeks revenge.

“The Cat’s Me-Ouch” – This is another cartoon by Chuck Jones. Jerry gets a big surprise when he orders a bulldog and it turns out to be smaller than him. The idea was to have the bulldog attack Tom for Jerry, but with him smaller than Jerry it seems impossible.

“Karate Guard” – This is the last Tom and Jerry short written and directed by Joseph Barbera. The short has Tom trying to sleep as Jerry practices karate loudly. Jerry must face his fear and take on Tom as a karate master, which Tom finds hilarious.

“Cosmic Cat and Meteor Mouse” – From the New Tom and Jerry Show, Tom and Jerry are trying to watch their favorite TV show, Cosmic Cat and Meteor Mouse. The noise from the television disturbs a sleeping Spike who is intent on turning off the set, while Tom and Jerry fight to watch their show.

“Jerry’s Country Cousin” – From The Tom and Jerry Comedy Show, Jerry has an identical cousin who comes from the country to stay with him. His cousin is a lot stronger, but Tom isn’t expecting to be outmaneuvered by Jerry’s country cousin.

“Flippin’ Fido” – From The Tom and Jerry Kids Show, Little Tom is chasing Little Jerry, who is, of course, antagonizing Tom. The chase is interrupted by Fido, who wants Tom, so Tom must find a way to distract Fido, with Frisbees!

“A Game of Mouse and Cat” – From Tom and Jerry Tales, this short features an alternative universe where the mice chase the cats. Jerry is ordered to get rid of Tom, when he has the chance to live out his fantasy.

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

Audio/Visual:
The quality changes from short to short. Obviously, cartoons from 2005 are going to look better than those from the 40s and 50s. This quality ranges from pretty good to wow this is old and looks like it. While most of the shorts are presented in standard format with a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, a few are widescreen at 1.85:1. This does not make them great though. Really, T&J need a good clean up job done to truly do these shorts justice and it’s just not here yet.

The audio is, as expected, a Dolby Digital mono track in English. A Spanish mono track is also included. These shorts sound good, but nothing like the 5.1 mixes we hear today. The audio isn’t horrible, but it isn’t spectacular either. There are no major audio flaws, but it isn’t as dynamic as it could be. Subtitles in English and French are also present.

Visual: 3 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
The big bonus is a short documentary. It is not quite 20 minutes in length. Called “Much Ado About Tom and Jerry,” this feature goes over how Tom and Jerry got started, the history of the cartoon and how it has changed throughout the years. It contains interviews with Hanna and Barbera and is featured on Disc 1.

This is the only bonus save for some trailers for other cartoons.

Bonus Features: 2 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection is a great collection IF you do not already own any of the Tom and Jerry sets that Warner Bros has released, in the past. Some of these episodes are already included so it’s the same ol, same ol. That is not to say the shorts are bad, but who really wants more than one DVD with the same eps on them? Further, who wants episodes with these shorts that have been censored? If you own some of the T&J DVDs, you will want to compare them to the list of shorts in this set before buying this. If your kid goes bonkers for Tom and Jerry like mine does, Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection is a nice collection to own. I just recommend proceeding with caution before buying, because most of these episodes we’ve seen before in other Tom and Jerry DVD releases.

Overall Rating: 3.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD Review, Tom and Jerry Deluxe Anniversary Collection, Cartoon, Warner Brothers, DVD, Tom and Jerry, cat and mouse, Kids, Family

Available on DVD on July 13, 2010

NEW YORK – June 21, 2010 – Go wild with delivery agents Pablo and Tyrone as they try to bring an elephant to a wildlife sanctuary in India in the new DVD, The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop. Featuring four new to DVD episodes, preschoolers will be introduced to the music genres of Alternative Rock, Forró, Bo Diddley-Style Rock and American Country Rock. Created by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment, The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop DVD hits shelves July 13, 2010, for the suggested retail price of $16.99.

In every episode of The Backyardigans, five high-spirited neighbors meet in their adjoining backyards and use their imaginations to transform themselves into different locations for epic adventures. Each half-hour episode of this Emmy® Award-winning show features a unique music/dance genre with four original songs, along with real choreographed movements recreated in animation. The Backyardigans airs everyday on Nick Jr.

The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop Episode Synopses:

Elephant on the Run
Park Ranger Tasha has a very important job for delivery agents Tyrone and Pablo — to get an endangered Indian elephant safely to the Dandeli Wildlife Sanctuary and to avoid the bad guys.
Music Genre: Alternative Rock

The Magic Skateboard
Tyrone really wants to be a great skateboarder. He may not know all the tricks yet, but he’s going to compete in the Show-Off Showdown. Once he finds the magic skateboard, even his top competition takes notice.
Music Genre: Forró

The Flipper!
Uniqua, Tasha and Pablo are the Meteor Watch Squad. But when meteor obsessed Pablo accidentally spills toxic space stuff all over himself, he becomes the super strong, super excitable Flipper!
Music Genre: Bo Diddley-Style Rock

Super Team Awesome!
Tyrone is a tour guide for the world’s only lava geyser, Old Gushie. When a loose boulder in the cavern threatens to cause a geothermal disaster, Tyrone calls for help. Not one, but three superheroes come to save the day!
Music Genre: American Country Rock

The Backyardigans: Operation Elephant Drop Fast Facts:
Street Date: July 13, 2010
DVD SRP: $16.99
DVD Running Time: 95 Minutes

Technorati Tags: The Backyardigans, Operation Elephant Drop, DVD, TV Show, Kids, Cartoons, Nickelodeon, DVD Details

Release Info:
Episodes Original Air Date: January 28, 1975-March 19, 1979
DVD Release Date: June 1, 2010
Online Availability: Amazon for $21.99

Everyone in our house loves the Peanuts gang. Three generations have grown up with Charles Schulz and his beloved Peanuts gang. Ashtyn’s mom watched the specials in the 60s when she was a teenager. Ash and I both grew up watching the specials. CT and Lil B have also grown up with several more specials to watch since the time when Ash was born in the 70s and I was born in 1980. All of us have warm, fuzzy places in our hearts for Peanuts.

CT has to be the biggest Peanuts nut of all. So, he was the first to rip open the plastic on our copy of Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 and pop it into our DVD player. What ensued was a plethora of Peanuts excitement and fun. I must admit that these are not our favorite Peanuts specials nor are they the best Schulz had to offer, but each one is enjoyable enough that fans of the Peanuts, especially kids, will be into what’s available on this disc.

The thing that is so enjoyable about Peanuts is that all people can relate to Charlie Brown. He’s an empathetic character that is likable, despite his lack of success, by those of nearly any age. Pictures of Charles Schulz reveal a striking similarity in appearance (it’s the face) to his anti-hero, Charlie Brown. Those aren’t the only similarities between Schulz and Brown, though the two clearly differ in their level of success (Brown always seems to fail, while Schulz is, clearly, one of the most, if not the most, influential cartoonists of the 20th century).

We own many of the WB Charlie Brown DVD sets. If you are like us, then you need to know that mos of these specials have already been released on DVD in other sets. In fact, only one of these specials is a brand new, never before seen on DVD special. That is the only drawback to this Volume Collection. It seems almost silly to get an entire DVD set for one special out of six, so make sure you don’t already own these specials before purchasing this set.

ThePeanuts 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 Show Synopsis’
There are six Peanuts specials included in this Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 set. Here is information on what is included.

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 28 January 1975
Valentine’s Day is always unsuccessful for Charlie Brown, who just wants to receive Valentines, especially from the Little Red Haired Girl (who was, coincidentally, based on a real life woman Charles Schulz fell in love with and had his own heart broken over). Charlie Brown waits each day at his mailbox, but to no avail, he gets no Valentines waiting for him. At school, everyone gets Valentines but good ol’ Chuck. He was expecting enough to fill a briefcase. Linus is in love with his teacher, Miss Othmar, and he decides to buy her chocolate, but things don’t go as planned when he learns how crushes on teachers turn out. Finally, Snoopy harasses Lucy in typical Snoopy fashion, at the puppet show he holds.

You’re A Good Sport, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 28 October 1975
Charlie Brown never gives up. This special proves this. Fans of motocross get their fill of racing excitement as Charlie and the gang go to the races. Snoopy starts thing off when he takes on an automatic tennis ball dispenser, he also dukes it out with an unseen tennis player. Sally wants to play tennis with Linus, but when big kids have occupied all the courts, she volunteers his “clobbering” services to try and get a free court. In the meantime, Peppermint Patty informs the gang about a motocross race, where the winner gets tickets to the Pro Bowl. Linus convinces Charlie Brown (who gets a broken down bike) to enter, but with Snoopy and Patty in the competition, the unlucky Charlie has little chance of doing anything more than making a fool of himself.

It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 16 March 1976
This is one of the more goofy specials, by Schulz, but that doesn’t make it bad. In fact, Arbor Day is one of the more enjoyable Peanuts specials. To make the world a better, more beautiful place, the gang decides to plant a garden. Their location for the garden, Charlie Brown’s baseball field. is upsetting to Charlie, who has a game with Peppermint Patty’s team on the field. Hilarity ensues as they try to play the game around the sea of tree blooming throughout the field.

It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 24 October 1977
Linus and Charlie Brown are a part of the Homecoming Court as the escorts of the queen. The queen turns out to be Heather, the little red haired girl, on whom Charlie Brown has a crush. When Charlie Brown learns that he is going to be Heather’s main escort and he has to partake in the Homecoming tradition, which involves kissing her on the cheek before they dance, he isn’t sure he’s the right man for the job. This special features typical football antics between Lucy and Charlie Brown (as he plays kicker on the football team).

*This special features a few lines that have been altered from the original broadcast, due to a high influx of viewer complaints. The lines altered involve excessively pessimistic dialogue by Peppermint Patty about Charlie Brown.

What A Nightmare, Charlie Brown!
Original Air Date: 23 February 1978
Snoopy is living it up in a great life with Charlie Brown, which Charlie points out to him. After indulging a little too heartily in the pleasures of his life, Snoopy awakens to find himself a part of a dog mushing team in Alaska. His master is harsh and unfeeling and all the luxuries that Snoopy is allowed to partake in at Charlie’s house are no longer allowed. As Snoopy finds himself in his worst nightmare he begins to understand just how good he really has it. What A Nightmare, Charlie Brown! makes its debut on DVD in this set.

You’re The Greatest, Charlie Brown
Original Air Date: 19 March 1979
Charlie Brown’s family is not going on vacation like they planned, so he must find something else to do this summer. He decides to enter the Junior Olympics at his school. His late entry means he must enter the only open event, the decathlon, which is also the hardest event. With very little athletic coordination, Charlie Brown’s persistence is the only thing to get him through competition with the likes of Freddie Fabulous and Snoopy.

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 4 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
All of the specials have been digitally remastered and look great despite being presented in their original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. Warner Bros cleaned many of these up in past releases, so they aren’t really new to those who own previous versions of these specials from Warner. That being said, the quality for animated films made in the 70s is fantastic. The black levels are solid, which is important since they highlight and outline all of the animations. These specials have been enhanced so their colors are refreshingly bright. No matter when Warner enhanced the visual quality of these specials does not really matter. It just matters that they look spectacular.

The specials in this set all sound great. They aren’t amazing or as dynamic as cartoons of today, but that is because they all feature English Dolby Digital Mono tracks, typical for the time in which these specials initially aired. Still, the sound did come in loud and clear with no volume toggling necessary, so there are very few complaints from me. Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese Mono tracks are also available. This set of specials features subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Thai.

Visual: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
Like every other Charlie Brown/Peanuts DVD we’ve reviewed, Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 features just one bonus. It is a brand new featurette. The featurette is a little under 20 minutes in length and is called “You’re Groovy, Charlie Brown: A Look at Peanuts in the 1970s.” This is a retrospective, as those who witnessed Peanuts history being made first hand reflect on their experience. Those reflecting include Jean Schulz, Charles’ widow, Craig Schulz, his son, Lee Mendelson (a producer) and Alexis Farjado (cartoonist), amongst others. This is a fun and entertaining listen, as all of the new featurettes made for these DVDs seem to be.

…BUT…sadly that is all that is here.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
The bottom line for Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 is simple. If you own these specials in other sets, consider whether the addition of one previously released special (What a Nightmare) is worth it. Otherwise, if you do not own these specials, this set is worth it. The specials contained on Peanuts: 1970′s Collection Vol. 2 look excellent and honestly, who does not like Peanuts? This set is recommended.

Overall Rating: 3.57 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Peanuts, Charles Schulz, Be My Valentine, It’s Arbor Day, Charlie Brown, It’s Your First Kiss, What a Nightmare, You’re the Greatest, Peanuts: 1970s Collection, Volume 2, DVD Review, Snoopy, Kids, Family, Television, TV Specials

Minnie’s Picnic

Featurette: Bow-tique Game

Minnie’s Bow-tique

Minnie’s Pajama Party

Minnie’s Bow Story

Technorati Tags: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Clips, Video, Cartoon, Disney Channel, Pre-School, Minnie’s Bowtique