Disney

Cadet Kelly

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on June 28th, 2005

Synopsis

Hilary Duff plays a good-hearted by scatterbrained teenager. Her happy existence in NYC is disrupted (how many Disney teens has this happened to?) when her stepfather starts his new job as head of a military academy, and she is enrolled, willy-nilly. She has trouble fitting in, initially having as nemesis her Captain Christy Carlson Romano, but eventually both she and the institution adapt to each other.

It’s Legally Blonde meets Private Benjamin in this sorry exercis…
Read More

Pooh’s Heffalump Movie

Posted in Disc Reviews by Gino Sassani on June 6th, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Another cog in the Disney/Winnie the Pooh machine comes to life here, as Pooh’s Heffalump Movie brings back all the characters you love for a story about acceptance, no matter what you look like.

Roo (voiced by Nikita Hopkins) becomes curious about the dangerous and scary Heffalump (which looks a lot like an elephant) that Pooh, Rabbit, Tigger and Piglet talk about, and he heads into an unknown part of the 100 acre forest to search for it. He finds a young heffalump named Lumpy (Ky…
Read More

Pocahontas

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on May 21st, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

Pocahontas is Disney’s animated version of the Pocahontas myth. This movie is not history, but a Disney-fied version of it. European settlers came to North America and disrupted the Native American way of life. John Smith (voiced by Mel Gibson) and his British plunderers attempt to rob the “New World” of its riches. Chief Powhatan, and his daughter Pocahontas (voiced by Irene Bedard), might have something to say about this. In the end, in typical Disney fashion, a moral emerges: both cultures have a lot…
Read More

National Treasure

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on May 6th, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

There are a lot of dumb movies out there. But there’s a good kind of dumb and a bad kind of dumb. National Treasure falls into the good dumb category. Nicholas Cage plays Ben Gates, a treasure hunter, an archaeologist I’m really not sure. But his mission is to steal the Declaration of Independence in order to prevent the “bad” archaeologists from taking it. Make sense? There are hidden clues, apparently, in this document which lead to hidden treasure. A treasure Gates’ grandfather (played by Christophe…
Read More

Disney Learning Adventures

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 28th, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Each disc uses a Mickey Mouse cartoon to teach children the basics about such topics as language, geography and numbers. “Mickey’s Seeing the World” uses the cartoon “Mickey’s Around the World in 80 Days” to these ends, while “Reading & Math Fun” uses the much older “Mickey and the Beanstalk” the cartoons are interrupted periodically to put them to educational use in the form of games. This is so far out of my field of expertise that I can’t pretend to evaluate how well this content works, t…
Read More

Sacred Planet

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on April 13th, 2005

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/lwrept5/public_html/Upcomingdiscs.com/wp-content/themes/upcomingdiscs/functions.php on line 453

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Robert Redford narrates this documentary look at the remote human cultures that are livingin harmony with the planet, rather than conquering (or raping and pillaging, if you will) nature.Think of this as a 47-minute lite version of the Koyanisqatsi trilogy. Everything is verydreamy and beautiful, and this is hardly a rigorous work. But the images are absolutelybreathtaking. Produced for IMAX, this has all the earmarks of those features: short in runningtime and subst…
Read More

Cat Returns

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 10th, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Poor Haru is have a rough day at school, and it isn’t like this is an exception. She can’t seemto fit in, and is filled with self-doubt. On her way home, she rescues a cat from traffic, and isastonished when the cat speaks to her. It turns out that she rescued the prince of the CatKingdom. By way of thanks, the Cat King decides she should become his son’s bride. Harudoesn’t like this idea. Coming to her aid is the Baron, an elegant cat figurine come to life, alongwith his f…
Read More

Disneymania In Concert

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 5th, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

What we have here is really Disney’s Mouseketeers for the new millennium. Raven, JesseMcCartney, Ashani and the like peform their version of “Colors of the Wind,” “Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah” and the like before a screaming studio audience at the California Disneyland Resort. Little“behind-the-scenes” segments are interspersed between the performances. The whole thing isextremely plastic, the songs are utterly bland and obviously lip-synched, and the result is reallynothing more tha…
Read More

Porco Rosso

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 3rd, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

The setting is the Adriatic in the 1930s. The hero is a bounty hunter known as Porco Rosso(“The Crimson Pig”), a former Italian seaplane pilot who deserted the post-war military ratherthan join the Fascists, and who, for mysterious reasons, has been cursed to look like a pig. Hemakes his living defending civilians from seaplane pirates, and his activities force the pirates tobring in outside talent: self-obsessed American aviator Curtis. In their first encounter, Porco’seng…
Read More

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on March 2nd, 2005

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/lwrept5/public_html/Upcomingdiscs.com/wp-content/themes/upcomingdiscs/functions.php on line 453

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Over a thousand years in the future, human civilization has largely collapsed. Most of theplanet is consumed by the Sea of Decay, a forest of toxic spores and giant insects. Only a fewhuman outposts remain. The most idyllic of these is the Valley of the Wind, where the peoplehave learned not to be locked in combat with nature. Nausicaa, the princess of the valley, isparticularly in tune with the insects. The peace in the valley is shattered when it is dragged intothe bitter…
Read More

Mulan II

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on February 11th, 2005

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/lwrept5/public_html/Upcomingdiscs.com/wp-content/themes/upcomingdiscs/functions.php on line 453

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

A few months after the events of Mulan, the sequel picks up with our heroine aboutto marry General Shang. Their betrothal is interrupted, however, by an urgent request from theEmperor: escort his three daughters cross-country for their marriages, which have been arrangedfor political purposes. As the pair begin their mission, Mulan feels increasingly uneasy about theprincesses having to marry men they have never met. As well, the women are falling in love withthe thr…
Read More

Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on January 4th, 2005

Buy at Amazon.com

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is the sequel to the popular Disney feature The Princess Diaries. How is our princess (Anne Hathaway) now? Well, life isn’t so easy in Gevonia. While trying to dodge Machiavellian plots and ill-suited suitors, the princess Mia tries to find love and (more importantly) herself.

The Princess Diaries 2 feels like one of those “phoned-in” sequels. All the notes are there, but none of the music. Veteran director Garry Marshall does a poor job o…
Read More

That’s So Raven

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on December 29th, 2004

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/lwrept5/public_html/Upcomingdiscs.com/wp-content/themes/upcomingdiscs/functions.php on line 453

Buy at Amazon.com

That’s So Raven features Raven (or the artist formerly known as Raven Symone) as a sassy teen who gets into hilarious teen situations. Sound familiar? Raven seems a little Lizzie McGuire-esque, but the difference is in the main character. Raven has psychic powers. That’s right. She has the supernatural ability to see events that may (or may not) have happened. Freaky.

That’s So Raven: Supernaturally Stylish is a DVD that features four episodes from the Disney TV series. An…
Read More

Where the Red Fern Grows

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 20th, 2004

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/lwrept5/public_html/Upcomingdiscs.com/wp-content/themes/upcomingdiscs/functions.php on line 453

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Kris Kristofferson narrates the story in flashback, telling the story of his younger self (JosephAshton) during the Depression. The young boy dreams of owning a hunting dog, and afterslaving away on odd jobs for two years, he finally acquires two: “Old Dan” and “Little Ann.”Together they become an unbeatable team, and have various adventures in a setting that is bothbucolic and poverty-stricken. The film is handsomely mounted and genuinely performed (with,interestingly, Dav…
Read More

Mary Poppins

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on December 12th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

If you don’t know what this movie is about, you grew up in a cave. If you’ve never seen it,ditto. This is the tale, it need hardly be said, of Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews), the nanny whoarrives to take charge of two children whose imaginations have been repressed by theirexcessively proper father. In the care of Mary, and accompanied by chimney sweep Bert (DickVan Dyke), the children bounce from one magical mix of dance, live action and animation toanother.

A more…
Read More

Kim Possible – The Villian Files

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 30th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Secret agent/crime fighter by night…high school cheerleader by day…Disney brings us Kim Possible. The DVD is subtitled The Villain Files. Kim Possible is an original TV show made by Disney. The Villain Files have four episodes for Possible fans. In each segment, Kim battles an arch enemy all the while trying to keep up her pom poms at the local high school. Her buddy, Ron Stoppable, is along for the ride.

Kim Possible has an intriguing premise. For kids watching, it has the best …
Read More

Eloise at Christmastime

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on November 22nd, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Eloise (Sofia Vassilieva) is a six-year-old who runs rampant through NYC’s Park PlazaHotel. Her only adult supervision is in the form of the eccentric Nanny (Julie Andrews). The plottakes the form of a series of incidents as Eloise races from one adventure to another, meddlingwith the best of intentions in the lives of all around her, with emphasis, as the title suggests, onthe Christmas spirit this time around. Specifically, she’s helping out with a Christmas wedding,and e…
Read More

Around the World in 80 Days (2004)

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on November 17th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

The original Around the World in 80 Days is known for its spirit of adventure, wild cameos, and also one of the weaker movies to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. Disney’s remake of Around the World still has that sense of adventure, has a few funny cameos, and is in no danger of winning Best Picture.

Based on the Jules Verne book, Around the World in 80 Days stars British actor Steve Coogan as the infamous inventor Phileas Fogg. His famous balloon is supposed to go around the wo…
Read More

Home on the Range

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on September 9th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

The “Patch of Heaven” farm is about to be seized by the bank, unless $750.00 can be raised,and raised quickly. By lucky coincidence, that is precisely the reward being offered for thecapture of cattle rustler Alameda Slim. Three plucky cows (voiced by Roseanne Barr, Judi Denchand Jennifer Tilly) decide to capture Slim and win the reward, thus saving their home.

The opening moments, with a series of Tex Avery-style catastrophes befalling an unfortunaterabbit, are ver…
Read More

Three Musketeers, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 21st, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Mickey, Donald and Goofy aspire to being Musketeers, but their respective weakness,cowardice and stupidity stand in their way. All seems lost, until Peg-Leg Pete, the evil captain ofthe Musketeers, finds a use for them for his own dastardly ends: the deposing of Minnie so hecan take the throne himself. Our heroes, of course, rise to the occasion.

Plenty of songs here (some quite witty), and some sharp gags too. The Useful Lessons,however, seem to me rather more hamf…
Read More

Black Hole, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 2nd, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

The exploration vessel Palomino discovers the gigantic, long-lost Cygnus orbiting aroundthe edge of a massive black hole. Boarding the Cygnus after the Palomino suffers some damage,the crew discovers that the only human left aboard the Cygnus is the megalomaniacal MaximilianSchell. Aided by his army of robots, he is preparing to plunge into the black hole, and he willsacrifice anything and anyone to complete his goal.

On the positive side, the production design is m…
Read More

Princess Diaries, The

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on August 1st, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Anne Hathaway plays 15-year-old (yeah, right) Mia, whose life is a gawky teenagenightmare. Then her life is turned upside down by the arrival in San Francisco of hergrandmother (Julie Andrews), who is queen of the mythical country of Genovia, and she needsMia to shoulder her responsibilities as heir to the throne, or Genovia will cease to exist. Miaundergoes a radical make-over, and clumsily fumbles her way through lessons on how to be aprincess.

You have to wonde…
Read More

Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on July 14th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

Life is hard for Mary (Lindsay Lohan). In the first place, she feels her name should actuallybe “Lola,” and that is how she introduces herself to all and sundry. Then her mother goes andmoves the family from exciting Manhattan to less-than-exciting New Jersey. As if things weren’trough enough, her favourite rock group is about to break up. She is determined to keep glamourin her life, however, not to mention getting to see the band’s farewell concert. Along the way,she will…
Read More

Miracle

Posted in Disc Reviews by Archive Authors on May 10th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

In 1980, the United States was in need of something to give hope to its citizens. What it got was a miracle.

Now, hockey has never really been a major sport in the United States. While it is played feverishly in many of the Northern states, those in the rest of the country are just not as passionate about it. Basketball, baseball and football are the big three in this country. This fact just goes one step further to show just how unbelievable the Miracle on Ice really was. I am sure that most people already…
Read More

Walt Disney Treasures: Walt Disney on the Front Lines

Posted in Disc Reviews by David Annandale on May 10th, 2004

Buy at Amazon.com

Synopsis

During World War II, Walt Disney threw the resources of his studio behind the war effort.The result is what we see here: a massive collection of animated shorts serving to boost morale,educate and propagandize, plus a feature-length argument for long-range bombing. I’m assumingI know have your attention.

Disc 1 breaks its short features down into three categories: “Propaganda and EntertainmentShorts,” “Educational Shorts” and “From the Vault.” The familiar Disney ch…
Read More

«< 9 10 11 12 13 >