Holiday Videos | Hot New Releases | Educational Videos & DVD's

New Releases

Ant Bully (Warner Home Video)  Rated PG, $29.98
Everyone knows a story about a bully, some kids may have been bullied, others are the one doing the bullying.  Well, this is a good story for both kids.  The movie features an A-List of voices including Julia Roberts, Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Ricardo Montalban and others.  The story is about Lucas, and how he is bullied by the bigger kids in his neighborhood.  As expected, Lucas takes out his frustration on the next smallest thing, which happens to be an ant hill on his front lawn.  This is the story of how the ants, and ultimately Lucas fight back.  The story is good, the lessons are important and kids will definitely enjoy it.  Younger kids will probably be scared of the idea of shrinking during the night, and the exterminator, voiced by Paul Giamatti is a bit creepy too!  Kids who have been bullied will definitely like the outcome of this movie!

Cars (Disney/Pixar) Rated G, $29.99
Cars shines brighter then the wax applied to its characters' NASCAR counterparts! Many of our kid reviewers saw this in the movie theaters and loved it. Now that it's out on DVD, it's an at-home treat that kids can watch again and again. The kids just think it's funny: From Lightning McQueen's snowboarder moves to the tractor-tipping in the fields, everything about this movie makes them crack up. The parents enjoy the little subtleties that the kids just don't get — like the fact that one of the racecar sponsors is htB (hostile takeover bank), and the appearance by "Click and Clack" from "Car Talk." It's these little things that make this movie a treat for all.

The storyline is fairly simple. Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) is the over-confident rookie who thinks he's won the Piston Cup only to find it's a three-way tie. To McQueen's shock, the winner is to be determined at a tie-breaker race in California. On the way to California, he gets stranded in Radiator Springs, a sleepy town on the old Route 66. There he meets Sally Carrera, a hot Porsche (Bonnie Hunt); Mater, a tow truck (Larry the Cable Guy); and Doc Hudson (Paul Newman), and finds everything he's been missing. The movie features great music by Rascal Flatts, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, James Taylor, and more. The DVD has some fun extras, too, including deleted scenes, sneak peeks, and a couple of shorts.

The DVD has some fun extras too, including, the necessary deleted scenes, sneak peeks, and a couple of shorts. 

Curious George (Universal Studios) Rated G, $29.98
I am crazy about this movie. I loved it in the theater and I still love watching it at home. I brought it on a recent road trip as a surprise for the children and they watched it again and again, all weekend long. Even for those of you who weren't big fans of the original Curious George story of the man in the yellow hat bringing back a monkey from the jungle will like this version. It's a much more humane story and the character of George is completely endearing, sweet and lovable. As expected, George gets into a lot of inquisitive trouble trying to help the man in the yellow hat (Will Ferrell) while songs from Jack Johnson play in the background. The Jack Johnson songs are fun and catchy, leading children to recognize them on the radio and them wanting to sing along.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown (20 Century Fox) Rated PG, $29.98
In Ice Age 2: The Meltdown it's the last days of the ice age, and the cold-weather animals that have for millions of years frolicked on earth's glaciers are blissfully unaware of the warm-up that's coming. 

An Armadillo named Fast Tony (Jay Leno) interrupts the animal's reverie to tell them that the end of the world is coming. He can save them from the impending global flood, for only $19.95! Fast Tony is a con artist, and not exactly a reliable source of information. Manny (the wooly mammoth hero from the first film, is naturally reluctant to buy into all this doom and gloom. That is until he chases his friends Diego the saber-toothed tiger and Sid the somewhat dopey giant sloth, up to the top of a glacier and sees their watery Armageddon approaching for himself. 

Manny and his pals convince the other animals around them to escape. Their only hope is to march to the end of their ice locked valley, where a vulture tells them a Noah's Ark like boat waits to save them from the impending flood. The hungry vulture of course is rooting for their deaths and may not exactly be the most reliable source of information, but Manny and his friends are out of options. While on their journey towards safety, Manny comes to grips with the fact that he may be the last of the Wooly Mammoths, only to bump into a female of his species named Ellie (Queen Latifah). There's a catch. she thinks she's a Possum.

While they march, Scrat, the squirrel featured in the movie's trailers, is put into the story almost as an intermission between chapters. While Manny, Diego, and Sid try to escape, Scrat remains behind at the doomed glacier, still obsessed with that same old acorn. Unlike in the original film, Scrat's little vignettes actually serve a purpose in the story this time. I mean beyond being hysterically funny. While Scrat is crushed, dropped, and partially eaten in a number of creative ways, we're updated on what's happening with the ever weakening ice dam in the background behind him. The end draws closer, and Scrat chases his acorn around at ground zero.  The animation is better than the first one too. It's still of lower quality than the work of Pixar or DreamWorks, but Fox's Blue Sky animation have done a remarkable job. A lot of the weird, rough edges of the previous movie have been replaced with a more polished feel. This sequel product looks less like a videogame and more like an actual movie. At the same time, Ice Age 2 remains cartoony. But that's exactly what they're going for. It's gags with a little more story and a little more heart.   Great movie for ALL!  

The DVD features bonuses like, shorts, including: "No Time for Nuts", games and more.  A great gift for all!  - Reviewed by Sarah H, mother of a 9-year-old.

The Little Mermaid (Platinum Edition) $29.99, Rated G
Of all the recent Disney movies this one is probably most likely to be a classic like Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Snow White.  As a mother, I like the fact that the Disney Villain -- this time the sea witch Ursula isn't quite as awful as the Queen in Snow White who demands Snow White's heart in a box!  The Little Mermaid is a story of forbidden love...  Ariel (the mermaid) falls in love with Eric (the human).  Her father doesn't want her to meet humans, but of course she disobeys.  The movie has great characters including a Sebastian the singing hermit crab, a Flounder her fish friend and a crazy seagull, Scuttle played by Buddy Hackett.

The music and songs are great thanks to Howard Ashman and Alan Menken.  It includes favorites like "Kiss the Girl", "Under the Sea", "Les Poissons" and my favorite "Poor Unfortunate Souls".  This platinum release of "The Little Mermaid" is packed with wonderful documentaries about the making of the little film, the expected deleted scenes, and some fun games and activities.  It also includes the video remake of "Kiss The Girl" by Ashley Tisdale of "The Suite Life Of Zack and Cody." 

This movie will make every little girl (and their mother) sing along.  It's a great, timeless story that will be watched for years.  The platinum edition is beautifully restored and all the bonus features make it really worthwhile.

Brother Bear 2  $29.99, Rated G
My kids were fans of Brother Bear, so they were thrilled to review Brother Bear 2, and they weren't disappointed.  This second film features Patrick Dempsey as Kenai, Jeremy Suarez as Koda and introduces Mandy Moore as as Nita, Wendie Malick as Aunt Siqiniq and the Wanda Sykes as wise-cracking and wisdom-filled, Innoko.  Back are the favorite moose Rutt and Tuke played by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas.

The story is another one of friendship and love -- brotherly love between Kenai and Koda, and the love between Kenai and his old friend Nita. In order to marry, Nita is forced to destroy an amulet that Kenai gave her.  She must not just destroy it, she must it at the Equinox with Kenai there.  Yes, the spirits are intervening - again -- so watch it and see what happens.  It's a nice DVD that the kids and parents will enjoy together.

Me, Eloise DVD (Warner Home Video) - 45 min.
This DVD is  based on the children's classic book Eloise. "It's excellent entertainment for all different ages", reports our mother of 3. "This specific video shows a good lesson in being envious of others, and just how fun and exciting friendships can be.  The choreography is fabulous showing the wealth of this 5th avenue hotel. Children were enthralled with the accents of the characters.  Great birthday gift for a girl aged between 3-8yrs. as it was revolved around Eloise's 6th birthday."

Magilla Gorilla Collectors DVDs (Turner Home Ent) Not Rated  $44.98
"Oh, the mouse and the cat one!" "Ricochet Rabbit! I love this one" It is so fun to hear my child enjoy watching the same cartoons I grew up watching on Saturday mornings. It is even more fun to re-live my youth by watching them with him! I may have forgotten many of the episodes but I am even more surprised by how many I remember. Magilla Gorilla is a classic DVD set that you will enjoy watching even when the children aren't around.
 

High School Musical   (Buena Vista/Disney) Rated PG, $26.99
If you have a grandchild and you haven't heard about the High School Musical phenomenon, we're about to enlighten you. This smash Disney Channel Original Movie is a bit like a "G-Rated" Grease with great songs, great dancing, and good clean fun, appealing for all ages. The story begins at a New Year's Eve party where Troy (Zac Efron from TV’s Summerland) meets a cute girl Gabriella (Vanessa Anne Hudgens) when they are set up for a karaoke song. When school begins, much like Grease, Gabriella has been transferred to Troy's school. Both Troy and Gabriella audition for the leads in the school's musical, and the fun begins. The movie is full of fun tunes, cool dance moves, and great messages for kids. My niece acted out the "Bop To The Top" song in her talent show, my son is hooked on the CD, and all the kids I've spoken to about this movie think that's what high school is all about! Parents will enjoy the music as much as their kids and will easily find themselves singing along—and not minding it a bit!

The DVD has a regular version and a karaoke version if you want to sing the songs yourself. It also includes "Learning the Moves" by choreographer Kenny Ortega, "Bringing It All Together: The Making of High School Musical", and two music videos. It's a HOT one, so buy the DVD and the CD for your grandkids, and you'll be their star!

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:   Rated PG-13, $19.98
I'm a huge fan of Harry Potter.  I have listened to each story on CD and I'm not embarrassed to say I'm one of those people who can't wait for the next book to come out -- and hire a babysitter so I can see the movie when it hits the theatre. This movie does not disappoint, in fact, I think it's one of the best yet.  This Harry Potter is by far the darkest, but I think the best yet.  When Harry Potter's name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, he becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools - the Triwizard Tournament. But since Harry never submitted his name for the Tournament, who did? Now Harry must confront a deadly dragon, fierce water demons and an enchanted maze only to find himself in the cruel grasp of He Who Must Not Be Named. In this fourth film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, everything changes as Harry, Ron and Hermione leave childhood forever and take on challenges greater than anything they could have imagined.  I can't wait for the Half Blood Prince! www.harrypotter.com

Nanny McPhee (Universal) Rated PG  Rated PG, $29.98
This movie wasn't sent to me to review, but I bought it and here's why... for any parent who has "ill behaved children" or felt they needed Mary Poppins, they need to see Nanny McPhee!  I took my kids to see this in the movie theatre and loved every minute of it.  It's a little Mary Poppins with a little My Fair Lady and a lot of magic. Emma Thompson who wrote the Oscar winning screenplay for Sense and Sensibility gets a A+ for writing this movie.  It's smart, funny, sweet, sensitive, not too sappy and has great messages.  It's as enjoyable for kids to watch as their parents.  All parents who are challenged by their children will enjoy the values that Nanny McPhee instills in the Brown children five key things that are most important in children starting with "please."  When she asks, "do the children go to bed when they are told?  Do they get up when they are told?"  I just had to laugh.  I have very well behaved children, but even that is a struggle in my house!  I left the movie longing for my own Nanny McPhee, as I suspect did many of the other parents.  This movie will hopefully become a classic and will have all children remember to say please and thank you!    

Educational Videos & DVD's

Man Who Walked Between Two Towers DVD (Scholastic Video) Not Rated, $14.95
This is another great Scholastic video. The first movie is about Frenchman Philippe Petit's tightrope walk between the World Trade Center's twin towers. My son watched this movie over and over again, amazed and fascinated that it was true. When he discovered that the other stories on the video (Snowflake Bentley, Miss Rumphius & The Pot that Juan Built) were all true stories as well, this quickly became one of his favorite DVDs. In an age when it is getting harder and harder to impress young children, it is nice to see a child enthralled and inspired by people who have followed their dreams, regardless of what other people think.

All About John Deere DVD-part 4 (TM Books & Video) Rated G, $14.95
"Any child who loves "diggers" will LOVE this DVD," our mom tester reports.  "We happen to have a son who loves trucks & tractors so needless to say this DVD is a part of our daily routine now. The footage and language is perfect for small children. The movie bops along with catchy songs as your child is able to see tons of John Deere vehicles up close and personal."

The Money Mammals (Snigglezoo Entertainment) Unrated, $14.95
If your kids are going to sit in front of the television, you want it to be educational. Well, this new DVD is the answer! Four furry friends that decide the right way to spend their money is what this 30 minute show is about. It teaches the value of money, the value of friendship and how not to be selfish. Our mother of three comments, "I try to instill these values in my children, so when 4 animated, singing and dancing puppets can assist me - I am a huge fan. My five year old daughter told me how nice she thought it was that the friends bought Clara (who is a camel) a hat for her birthday. She learned the value of doing for others, which made me very happy. This DVD is filled with high energy, great songs and loveable puppets."

Juno's Rhythm Adventure (Juno Baby) Ages 0+, $20.00
"This vivid 40 minute DVD is fresh and exciting!" reports our mom tester.  "The sights and sounds are captivating. Colorful little puppets and catchy little tunes. It truly entertained the whole family, From my youngest at the age of 1 to my 5 year old daughter. Juno encourages participation and helps with the development of music appreciation and rhythm . We are lucky that educational programs are so readily available for our children, but this one stands out in the crowd! Do you and your child a favor and check this one out, you won't be disappointed!"  Note, as an added bonus for any bi-lingual families or families teaching their children a second language ..... it can be played in English, French and Spanish!  Fans of Juno baby will also love the cute little plush "Juno" that comes in a cute red dress, with a big J and upturned pigtails.  If you're looking to send a gift, you should also consider the clothes, which are well made and all adorable!

ELMO's World -- Reach for the Sky! (Sony Wonder Video) $12.98
"Can you put the school one on again mom?" was what our mom tester reported hearing after viewing Reach for the Sky.  "This was my three-year-old son's reaction after watching Elmo's World: Reach for the Sky DVD two times! He laughed out loud to Mr. Noodle's responses to the question "how do you ask a question in school?" and after watching the children on screen talk about what they do each day, my son proceeded to tell me how he does almost all the same stuff too (hanging up his backpack at school, learning about reading & writing, and how much he loves going to school too). He said he likes the school segment so much because he likes that everyone in Elmo's family goes to school and all of them love it. These Sesame Street videos helps preschoolers learn more about subjects they encounter in everyday life and this video follows suit. This one covers jumping, school & sky."

Scholastic Video Collection Chicka Chicka 1 2 3 (Scholastic Video Collection) $14.95
Our tester reports, "My four year old  loves the Scholastic Video Series and this one is no exception. Almost every mother knows the Bill Martin, Jr. classic Chicka Chicka 123 and this video version of the story is delightful. It's wonderful to see the story come to life in a song and is a great introduction to the two other stories on the tape, David Schwartz's How Much is a Million? and If You Made a Million. We enjoyed these additional stories so much that we went out and bought the books right away. If your pre-schooler has any interest in numbers and money, then this is the perfect addition to your educational video library."