Movie Reviews

Minnie’s Masquerade on DVD With Mickey Mote & Extras-Plus $5 Off!

8 February 2011 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Minnies Masquerade Plus Mickey Mote — Minnie's Masquerade with Mickey Mote out today-February 8, 2011

This latest release features four playful Minnie-themed adventures previously seen on the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse TV show, a never-before-seen episode, and a free paper mask with festive embellishments that kids can personalize. And as a special option for consumers, Disney has packaged a version of the DVD to include the exclusive Mickey Mote – a child-friendly handheld remote control, shaped like Mickey ears, that takes children’s viewing experience to a whole new level of play. The DVD + Mickey Mote Play Set is the ultimate value for moms and equally fun and engaging for kids! The Mickey Mote uses infrared wireless technology and may not be compatible with all devices.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie’s Masquerade starring Disney’s Fab Five — Minnie, Mickey, Donald, Goofy and Daisy – takes viewers on an all new adventure as they dress-up in their favorite costumes for Minnie’s Masquerade Ball. In this episode, Minnie needs some help getting everything ready for her party including making royal crowns for their costumes, searching for Sir Goofalot’s lost shoe, stringing up paper lanterns and much, much more. At the ball, Professor Von Drake hosts the great Clubhouse Costume Show and gives out prize ribbons to all the friends who have dressed up in some funny and fancy costumes. All it takes is a heaping helping of imagination…and the right Mouseketools.

About Disney’s Exclusive Mickey Mote:
Disney’s Mickey Mote works with any Disney Preschool DVD that includes the Discovery ModeTM feature – an interactive “Watch & Play” feature on the DVD. All parents have to do is program the remote control – there’s an easy and quick set-up guide in each DVD- and select the Discovery Mode feature on the menu screen. Within minutes, kids will be easily responding to questions, throughout the story, about scenes they just watched by pressing one of four color-coded buttons on the device — a yellow star, green circle, orange triangle or blue square – to click in their responses. Discovery Mode features include two levels of play, which provides more challenging questions as the child grows.
The Mickey Mote can be used with any Disney Preschool DVD that includes the Discovery Mode feature. To date there are more than 11 titles that can be used with the remote control, just take a look at the back of the package to make sure. The Mickey Mote really was easy to program and my little guy loved being able to play along and interact!

Check out a clip of the all-new episode on Minnie’s Masquerade DVD:

Even though I have a little Prince and not a Princess, he absolutely loved this DVD. It totally captured his attention and he wanted to wear a crown and be a Prince, so his big sister made him one out of construction paper to wear. This is a great addition to our family’s collection and toddler-preschool entertainment!

Minnie's Masquerade dvd coupon — Click for a $5 coupon on the DVD playset!

Alice in Wonderland 60th Anniversary HD Release+Bonus Features

27 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

With interest in all things ALICE IN WONDERLAND at an all-time high following the record-breaking theatrical performance of Disney’s epic live-action fantasy adventure, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment proudly unveils aone-of-a-kind 60th Anniversary Special Edition of Walt Disney’s original animated version of the whimsical classic tale ALICE IN WONDERLAND on Blu-ray — on February 1st, 2011. Released just in time for Valentine’s Day!

The new ALICE IN WONDERLAND 60^th Anniversary Special Edition takes viewers on magical adventure like never before with a fantastically odd and fun-filled world of colorful characters in brilliant high-definition and crystal clear sound. Additionally, the disc comes specially-packed with never-before-seen footage hosted by Kathryn Beaumont, an all-new interactive game and more. I was given a chance to preview this edition – one of my all-time favorite movies and was simply blown away by the colors, the quality and the sound. The bonus features are must-views for any Disney or Alice fan. This is definitely a film you’ll want to add to your Disney collection.

Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 DVD Release, Twitter Party and Activity Sheets!

26 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment proudly announces the return of the greatest Chihuahuas to walk on all fours in Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2! Chloe & Papi are back in an all new, ¡Ay yay yay! fun-filled adventure—and their family just got bigger. Meet their rambunctious, mischievous and hilarious litter on February 1, 2011 when Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 comes out on a Blu-ray™ combo pack (include Blu-ray and DVD of the movie), 1-disc DVD.

From the creators of Beverly Hills Chihuahua, everybody’s favorite talking Chihuahuas are back in a comedy that’s a pack of outrageous fun for the whole family. Puppy mayhem turns the lives of newlywed Chihuahua parents, Papi and Chloe, upside down when their playful puppies present one challenge after another. But, when their human owners find themselves in trouble, the tiny pups will stop at nothing to save them—because in good times and hard times, the family always sticks together. Papi, Chloe and the puppies embark on a heroic adventure, proving once again that big heroes come in small packages.

Featuring an all-star cast, including George Lopez (voice of Papi), and complete with a litter of bonus features, this heartwarming tale of the meaning of family, friendship and loyalty is a special breed of fun—times five.

My family was able to preview Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 and it was a big hit with my tweens. Who doesn’t love tons of puppies all dressed up? Favorite parts were the adorable fashion show and bedtime stories with Papi. I’m sure your little puppies will love it too!

NEWS: Disney’s Mars Needs Moms Trailer

29 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Take out the trash, eat your broccoli—who needs moms, anyway? Nine-year-old Milo (Seth Green) finds out just how much he needs his mom (Joan Cusack) when she’s nabbed by Martians who plan to steal her mom-ness for their own young. Produced by the team behind “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” “Mars Needs Moms” showcases Milo’s quest to save his mom—a wild adventure in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D that involves stowing away on a spaceship, navigating an elaborate, multi-level planet and taking on the alien nation and their leader (Mindy Sterling). With the help of a tech-savvy, underground earthman named Gribble (Dan Fogler) and a rebel Martian girl called Ki (Elisabeth Harnois), Milo just might find his way back to his mom—in more ways than one.

· Berkeley Breathed, a Pulitzer-Prize winner for his comic strip “Bloom County,” is the author and illustrator of the book “Mars Needs Moms.” The story was inspired by a particular moment of disagreement that took place between his son Milo and his wife.

· Producer Robert Zemeckis, who wrote, directed and produced “Disney’s A Christmas Carol” and “The Polar Express,” is a pioneer in performance-capture filmmaking. The process digitally captures the performances of the actors with computerized cameras in a full 360 degrees, allowing actors like Jim Carrey and Tom Hanks to play several roles of varying ages in one film, and for 36-year-old Seth Green to portray a 9-year-old.

The Search for Santa Paws Tween Review

29 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

“Someone once told me that the spirit of Christmas is embodied in the hearts of children, untouched as of yet by the doubts, fears and disappointments of the adult world.”

–Santa Claus in “The Search for Santa Paws”

Whether you’re nine or ninety-nine, Santa Claus likely still holds a special place in your heart. Maybe you remember sitting on his knee at your local mall as a child or writing—and re-writing—him a letter asking for a dollhouse or red wagon. Many of us remember staying up past midnight in hopes of catching a glimpse of him as he came down your chimney.

This is part of the magic The Search for Santa Paws tries to convey. My daughter, now 10½, has been a fan of the “Buddies” series of pooch-ified films since they first began. Santa Buddies was one of her favorites so she was excited to see how Santa Paws came to be Santa’s dog and the rest of the story in The Search for Santa Paws.

According to her, it is a cool movie; parts of it are sad, but not too sad to watch. Her least favorite part is when Santa himself almost dies and her favorite part is when Quinn meets Santa Paws for the first time. She recommends it to anyone who is a fan of the first Santa Buddies film. And that’s all I could pull out of her. 😉 You’ll just have to check out the movie yourself to see if you agree.

The Search for Santa Paws Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack is available now!

Toy Story 3 – Start a New Family Tradition

25 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 3 Comments

I’m sure by now any Disney fan reading this has already purchased Toy Story 3 on Blu-ray + DVD…however on the off chance you have not, or perhaps you are new to the wonders of Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures, I am here to persuade you to run out and pick it up right now. I’ll be honest, when I was given Toy Story 3 to review, I avoided it – not because I didn’t want to talk about it – but the opposite, I knew I’d want to talk too much about it. I’ve already discussed some of the cool bonus features and fun facts about the animated short Day & Night on the DVD and Blu-Ray. Now I’ll share why this film should be in your collection.

When I first saw Toy Story 3 in theatres, I was prepared for an emotional roller coaster. Truth is, I was a wreck at the closing scene. Yes, the first installment of the Toy Story trilogy came out before I was even married, much less had children, yet I still associate the movies with my two oldest children and watching them grow up. This mixes with memories of moving to Orlando with my family and becoming cast members. At the time, the Toy Story parade was the one that filled Hollywood Boulevard each day at the then Disney-MGM Studios (now of course Disney’s Hollywood Studios). As a result, each time I hear Randy Newman’s “Strange Things” I’m reminded of that fun and exciting time in our life. It wasn’t just Andy that grew up, it was me too. I married my high school sweetheart, we had 2 beautiful children and my mom went from being my mom to being my children’s grandmother too, my dad passed away, my husband and I had another beautiful child. So there was a lot of emotion wrapped up in this little film from Pixar, which had absolutely nothing to do with me, yet so very much to do with me.

Tangled Movie Review

22 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 41 Comments

I mentioned previously that I was honored to attend the Walt Disney World Holiday Showcase as a representative of the Walt Disney World Moms Panel. Part of that weekend included a screening of Disney’s Tangled before its November 24th nationwide release. I know I’ve shared some funny clips that Disney passed along showcasing the film, but honestly, they do not begin to do justice to the actual film itself. I realize they are trying to get audiences super excited about what many people view as “just another animated film” but I truly feel that when families of all ages and sizes see the movie, word of mouth will be all that’s needed to make Tangled a success.

We knew going in that Tangled was the classic tale of Rapunzel, but with a twist. What we didn’t know was the unique backstory that Tangled provides, which actually works. It’s sort of like Sleeping Beauty meets Cinderella meets Little Mermaid. Rapunzel’s parents have lost her, however unlike Sleeping Beauty, she is stolen by the evil “Mother” Gothel who kidnaps Rapunzel for her own selfish gains. Rapunzel is somewhat happily living in her impenetrable tower up until her 18th birthday, where her birthday wish is to see the “stars” or lanterns that float in the sky each year on her birthday. What she doesn’t realize is that the lanterns are set into the sky by her real parents as they continue the vigil to seek out their missing daughter, and the townspeople who also hope for the princess’ return.

[Read more…] about Tangled Movie Review

Transformation and Rebirth – The Crimson Wing Guest Review

16 November 2010 by Ryan P. Wilson 1 Comment

Great thanks to Ryan P. Wilson, Editor-in-Chief at the amazing resource that is the Main Street Gazette. I have written before about how much I love his site and am honored to have him writing a couple of guest posts here at ZannaLand. Please welcome him and enjoy his inspiring review of Disneynature’s The Crimson Wing —

Documentaries seek to tell a story, for nature documentaries that story is even more critical to advancing the story and the cause of the natural world presented within the film’s frames. The third release from Disneynature, and the first not shown on the big screen in the United States, is perfectly aware that the story is what resonates with audiences.

The Crimson Wing follows the life cycle of flamingos in Central Africa. From the journeys that bring these creatures hundreds and thousands of miles to salt saturated Lake Natron to mate in a sea of ruby feathers to the birth, hardships, and flight of fledgling flamingos, The Crimson Wing is awash with intriguing questions and relatable lessons of life. In most animal documentaries the individuals the film focuses upon are given names to assist in connecting the audience with the creature. While a single flamingo is central to the tale, no names are given in The Crimson Wing, a welcome sign that the filmmakers respect the intelligence of those viewing the narrative in front of them.

Frame for frame, I would have to say that The Crimson Wing is one of the most beautiful features ever shot. The scarlet mirror that is Lake Natron, flamingos flying across the moon and storm clouds, a single chick being encouraged to break free of its shell, red stains on a salt island, and even our heroine streaking across the top of the water and lifting off into the sky are only a few of the astounding images captured to convey the remarkable tale. The film also features the melodious narration of Mariella Frostrup, one of three women voices considered almost perfect by a study from Post Office Telecoms.

Because of the longstanding tradition of nature films associated with the Disney name, the films from Disneynature have often been compared, rightly or wrongly, to Walt Disney’s True Life Adventures. While the stories of both Earth and Oceans, Disneynature’s two previous releases, have found their own paths to tug at viewers heartstrings their expansive subject matter cannot dedicate enough screen time to the individual chapters. The Crimson Wing, with its dedicated subject matter, most accurately resembles the True Life Adventures. The narrative features an exotic locale, an unheralded but recognizable lead creature, triumph, heartbreak, and mysteries stemming from both the flamingos and their birthplace.

In its opening, The Crimson Wing relates the thread that ties flamingos to the myth of the phoenix. In a similar fashion, The Crimson Wing burns brightly with all the elements needed to make a nature documentaries rise from the ashes. While not a movie for every viewer, The Crimson Wing is a remarkable show that reminds me of features I watched as a child with my parents, making it a perfect addition for nature loving families of this generation.

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You can check out a trailer and clips of The Crimson Wing, which is available now on Blu-Ray, DVD and movie download. Ryan will be back soon with a review of Disneynature’s Oceans, so be sure to stay tuned.

My Favorite TRON:Legacy Clip So Far – “Long Time” and NEW TRON Trailer

8 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

I will admit that just a few months ago I’d never even seen the original TRON film. My husband had always loved it and I had bought him little collectible figures over the years, but never really knew what the fuss was. I finally watched the movie and while it is of course dated, I could definitely see the cult appeal and the amazing technology it used at the time. It is pretty cool and has stood the test of time in that regard. Now with 2010 advancements in film and special effects, TRON: Legacy promises to pick up where TRON left off, but in a bigger, better (stronger, faster?) way.

However, not to be lost in the world of computerized technology, TRON: Legacy is at its roots the story of a father and son, which is perhaps why this next clip appealed to me so much. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still stoked to be surrounded by cool glowing costumes and light cycles set to an original Daft Punk score, but without a story, there is nothing. Press play to watch this clip below and see if you agree:

Hilarious Disney Tangled Vignette Grounded For Life & Meet the Sidekicks Clip

8 November 2010 by Suzannah Otis 5 Comments

Disney just sent over these clips from their new animated feature film Tangled and I actually rushed to update here and share them with you, they are that great!

The first video – a vignette entitled “Grounded For Life” actually made me laugh out loud. This was a great little piece put together by Disney that really endears you to Rapunzel and her plight. I’m sure kids and tweens can relate to their own not-quite-so-severe groundings!