By John Corrado Today, Disney is releasing three Studio Ghibli films for the first time on Blu-ray, including Porco Rosso, Pom Poko and Tales from Earthsea. Following the release of The Wind Rises, Princess Mononoke and Kiki’s Delivery Service back in November, this is another fine chance for fans of the Japanese animation studio to round out… Read More Blu-ray Release: Porco Rosso, Pom Poko and Tales from Earthsea
By John Corrado ★½ (out of 4) Audiences below a certain age might like the colours and sounds of Strange Magic. But those above a certain age will just feel nostalgic for a time when the name of George Lucas, who executive produced and co-wrote this forgettable and thoroughly mediocre animated fantasy, was actually reason… Read More Review: Strange Magic
Today, Paramount is releasing SpongeBob SquarePants: The Pilot, A Mini-Movie and The SquareShorts on DVD, including a barrage of goodies for fans of the character. The main draw here is easily the mini-movie of the title, which is actually the 2009 extended episode Truth or Square, a thoroughly delightful and surprisingly clever affair that functions… Read More DVD Release: SpongeBob SquarePants: The Pilot, A Mini-Movie and The SquareShorts
Last week, Disney released Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-nominated The Wind Rises on Blu-ray, along with new editions of the classic Studio Ghibli films Princess Mononoke (1997) and Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989), providing a good overview of the recently retired filmmaker’s legendary career. The Wind Rises: Although his nearsighted vision kept him from being a pilot, Jirô Horikoshi… Read More Blu-ray Release: The Wind Rises, Princess Mononoke and Kiki’s Delivery Service
Last week, Disney released a new Sing-Along Edition of their beloved musical Frozen on DVD, featuring a bouncing snowflake to help us join in with the bestselling soundtrack. Since last November, Frozen has gone from being a holiday box office hit, to the highest grossing animated film of all time and an Oscar-winning cultural phenomenon… Read More DVD Release: Frozen: Sing-Along Edition
By John Corrado ★★★★ (out of 4) After delivering one of their biggest and most beloved films with last year’s Oscar-winning Frozen, Disney continues their winning streak with the bighearted and beautifully animated Big Hero 6, opening in theatres this weekend. It’s glorious. Loosely based on a Marvel comic of the same name, Big Hero 6 is another animated knockout from… Read More Review: Big Hero 6
Today, Disney is releasing this summer’s animated sequel Planes: Fire & Rescue on Blu-ray. A step up from the first one, this is a well intentioned film that provides harmless entertainment and even excitement for young audiences, and should prove a popular choice at home. We reviewed Planes: Fire & Rescue in theatres back on… Read More Blu-ray Release: Planes: Fire & Rescue
By John Corrado ★★★ (out of 4) There are many films to honour Halloween and Christmas, and now the November 2nd celebration of the Day of the Dead gets its own film in The Book of Life, a bright and vibrant piece of animation that authentically honours the Mexican tradition. The film opens with a… Read More Review: The Book of Life
Today, Disney is releasing their 1959 animated classic Sleeping Beauty on Blu-ray, as part of their Diamond Edition series. When Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) is cursed by the jealous Maleficent (Eleanor Audley), she is sent to live in the forest with three kind fairies, until her sixteenth birthday when it’s up to Prince Phillip (Bill… Read More Blu-ray Release: Sleeping Beauty
The Boxtrolls – An eOne Films Release http://www.theboxtrolls.com Release Date: September 26th, 2014 Rated PG for some scary scenes Running Time: 97 minutes Graham Annable (director) Anthony Stacchi (director) Irena Brignull (screenplay) Adam Pava (screenplay) Based on the novel Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow Dario Marianelli (music) Ben Kingsley as Archibald Snatcher (voice) Jared… Read More Five Views: The Boxtrolls
Today, Disney and Pixar are releasing last year’s TV special Toy Story of Terror! on Blu-ray. When the toys get stranded at a spooky roadside motel where Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) mysteriously goes missing, Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and Rex (Wallace Shawn) are forced to confront their fears and… Read More Blu-ray Release: Toy Story of Terror!
Planes: Fire & Rescue – A Walt Disney Pictures Release http://movies.disney.com/planes-fire-and-rescue Release Date: July 18th, 2014 Rated G for action and some peril Running time: 84 minutes Roberts Gannaway (dir.) Jeffrey M. Howard (characters) Mark Mancina (music) Dane Cook as Dusty Crophopper (voice) Ed Harris as Blade Ranger (voice) Julie Bowen as Lil’ Dipper (voice)… Read More Five Views: Planes: Fire & Rescue
Today, 20th Century Fox is releasing Rio 2 on Blu-ray & DVD. Continuing the charming adventures of Blu (Jesse Eisenberg) and Jewel (Anne Hathaway), this is a harmless and entertaining enough animated sequel that kids are going to love. We reviewed Rio 2 when the film was in theatres back in April, and our overall… Read More Blu-ray Release: Rio 2
Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, Mongrel Media is releasing Ernest & Celestine on all home entertainment platforms today, including iTunes. Celestine (Mackenzie Foy) is a lonely mouse living in the sewers where they fear the bears up above, and Ernest (Forest Whitaker) is a hungry bear in a town that is annoyed… Read More Digital Release: Ernest & Celestine
How To Train Your Dragon 2 – A 20th Century Fox Release https://www.howtotrainyourdragon.com Release Date: June 13th, 2014 Rated PG for some scary scenes and action Running time: 102 minutes Dean DeBlois (dir.) Dean DeBlois (writer) Based on the book series by Cressida Cowell John Powell (music) Jay Baruchel as Hiccup (voice) Cate Blanchett as… Read More Five Views: How To Train Your Dragon 2
Paramount is releasing a new edition of How To Train Your Dragon on Blu-ray today, before the sequel opens on June 13th. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is an innocent Viking who can’t bring himself to kill a dragon, much to the dismay of his father (Gerard Butler). But then he befriends Toothless, a lovable dragon who… Read More Blu-ray Release: How To Train Your Dragon
Rio 2 – A 20th Century Fox Release http://www.riomovies.com Release Date: April 11th, 2014 Rated G for cartoon action Running time: 101 minutes Carlos Saldanha (dir.) Jenny Bicks (screenplay) Yoni Brenner (screenplay) Carlos Kotkin (screenplay) John Powell (music) Jesse Eisenberg as Blu (voice) Anne Hathaway as Jewel (voice) Bruno Mars as Roberto (voice) Andy Garcia as… Read More Five Views: Rio 2
Released Dec. 3rd, 2013 Page count: 168 pages Size: 11.29″ x 9.37″ The Art of Frozen By Charles Solomon Foreword by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee Preface by John Lasseter Published by Chronicle Books Distributed by Raincoast (Canada http://www.raincoast.com/ http://www.chroniclebooks.com/ _______________________________________________ The Art of Frozen Book Review by Erin V. Under the dustjacket of The… Read More Book Review: The Art of Frozen
Released Oct. 2nd, 2013 Page count: 64 pages Size: 10″ x 7.6″ Disney’s Frozen – The Essential Guide Published by Dorling Kindersley Written by Barbara Bazaldua http://www.dk.com/ ____________________________________________ Frozen: The Essential Guide Review by Erin V. In Frozen – The Essential Guide, we get a brief introduction to all the main characters, sets, and… Read More Book Review: Frozen – The Essential Guide
Today, Disney is releasing their blockbuster hit Frozen on Blu-ray & DVD. The optimistic Anna (Kristen Bell) and her sister Elsa (Idina Menzel) grew up separated, with Elsa fearing the powers she has to create ice. But when their kingdom is cast into eternal winter, Elsa hides away on a mountain and Anna sets off… Read More Blu-ray Release: Frozen
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