Donald Duck's nephews learn why holidays come once a year, Goofy and son discover the spirit of Santa, and Mickey and Minnie re-enact a classic tale of giving in this holiday offering. Kelsey Grammer (TV's Frasier) narrates as Donald hosts Christmas at his house, complete with an egg and pancake breakfast, a sledge for each duckling in the closet, and Daisy under the mistletoe. But the celebration gets old fast when the boys' wish for Christmas every day comes true. Next up, Goofy's son wonders whether there is a Santa after the villainous Pete tells him there's not and he catches Dad impersonating the portly gift-giver. Goofy demonstrates the spirit of giving by taking a meal and presents to less-fortunate neighbours and, many Goofy-style mishaps later, father and son have a surprise visitor. In the third story, the mouse lovebirds give an updated spin to O. Henry's "The Gift of the Magi", with Minnie having the heirloom watch with no chain and Mickey a harmonica with no case. This trio of Christmas stories adds up to an hour of heartfelt fun, capped off by the gang singing "Jingle Bells". Perfect holiday cheer for those aged 4 and over. -Kimberly Heinrichs.

As far as Disney is concerned, The Sword in the Stone was a portent of things to come, with slapstick upstaging storytelling, and cultural in-jokes substituting for wonder. Based on TH White's beloved novel The Once and Future King, this Disney version chronicles King Arthur's boyish adventures. There's much to enjoy here as coach Merlin the magician shows the young Arthur, nicknamed Wart, the skills that will help him become the future ruler of the Britons. The transformation sequences, where the boy is turned into a fish, a bird and a squirrel are vintage Disney. The oft-repeated scene of Merlin battling it out with mean old Madame Mim still is worth a few chuckles, but it underlines the problem with most of the film-most of its scenes are only played for laughs. References by Merlin to television and other items of modern life also mar the generally innocuous landscape. Younger children will like it, while older kids will find it slower compared with recent Disney films. -Keith Simanton, Amazon. com.

Since early on, the Baby Einstein Company's mission has been to expose young children to the "greatest forms of human expression": language, poetry, art, and music. Since receiving widespread acclaim for such solid programs as Baby Bach and Baby Mozart, the company has made a natural progression into another expressive realm-the animal kingdom-with its Baby Dolittle series. Neighborhood Animals was the first foray into critter country, followed by this exquisite sequel-World Animals-introducing youngsters, ages 1 to 4 years old, to the wonder, beauty, and hilarity of Earth's creatures. In this 30-minute program, viewers journey to three natural animal habitats-jungle, ocean, and savannah-to watch tigers prowl, elephants romp, and giraffes glide with grace. They'll meet zebras, lemurs, starfish, and squirrels, toucans, pandas, and bears in footage both stunning and whimsical. Catering to the short attention span of its viewers, the video seamlessly flows from live action footage to colorful puppet segments (starring Jane the monkey) using engaging stage props (like a giant bubble blower) and kids' drawings. Animal paw prints morph into words and finally photos so that children learn to recognize the various animals while laughing out loud at their antics-monkeys swinging, dolphins diving and sea turtles swimming. Requisite classical music accompanies the action, including symphonies by Dvorák and Mendelssohn, along with an assortment of kid-friendly songs. Expect repeat play of this lovely, captivating DVD from a production company that continues to outdo itself. -Lynn Gibson.

"Filmed in VIDECOLOR [explosions, drum roll, music builds to a climax] and SUPERMARIONATION"! The opening sequence of Thunderbirds is itself a masterclass in Gerry Anderson's marionette hyperbole: who else would dare to make a virtue out of the fact that (a) the show is in colour and (b) it's got puppets in it? But everything about this series really is epic: Thunderbirds is action on the grandest scale, pre-dating such high-concept Hollywood vehicles as Armaggedon by 30 years and more (the acting is better, too), and fetishising gadgets in a way that even the most excessive Bond movies could never hope to rival. Unsurprisingly, it transpires that the visual effects are by Derek Meddings, whose later contributions to Bond movies like The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker echo his pioneering model work here. As to the characters, the clean-cut Tracey boys take second place in the audiences' affections to their cool machines-the real stars of the show-while comic relief is to be found in the charming company of Lady Penelope and her pink Rolls (number plate FAB1), driven by lugubrious chauffeur Parker, whose "Yes, milady" catchphrase resonated around school playgrounds for decades. (Spare a thought for poor old John Tracey, stuck up in space on Thunderbird 5 with only the radio for company. ) The puppet stunt-work is breathtakingly audacious, and every week's death-defying escapade is nailbitingly choreographed in the very best tradition of disaster movies. First shown in 1964 and now digitally remastered, Thunderbirds is children's TV that still looks and sounds like big-budget Hollywood. On this DVD: International Rescue's very first adventure provides a template for all the rest: in "Trapped in the Sky" an experimental new aircraft becomes the target of an evil Bond-style megalomaniac who wants to get his hands on all the neat pieces of kit operated by the Tracey siblings. The show introduces, in fetishistic detail, the recurring set-pieces: Thunderbird 1 taking off from the roll-back swimming pool, which pod will Thunderbird 2 use this week-the mole or the submarine perhaps?-and so on. Nostalgia fans will be pleased to learn that despite digital remastering the puppet strings are still in evidence, and no amount of high-tech restoration could remove the clunky expository dialogue: Stewardess: "It's the maiden flight of the new atomic-powered Fireflash. " Passenger: "Isn't that the new aircraft that flies six times the speed of sound?" Stewardess: "That's right, but don't worry: it's perfectly safe. [+]

Disney's direct-to-video sequel to their 1995 hit places the Native American princess Pocahontas in harm's way in London, where she is almost tossed into jail and has some other mishaps. She's not alone, however: a cute racoon named Meeko does a nice job as the obligatory funny animal. The songs are about as memorable as those in the first film, but the art and animation maintain far higher standards than most animated sequels dumped onto tape. If you don't drive yourself nuts thinking about the appalling historical revisionism at work here, this is passable family entertainment. -Tom Keogh Disney's direct-to-video sequel to their 1995 hit places Pocahontas in harm's way in London, where she is almost tossed into jail and has some other mishaps. She's not alone, however: a cute racoon named Meeko does a nice job as the obligatory funny animal. The songs are about as memorable as those in the first film, but the art and animation in Pocahontas 2 maintain far higher standards than most animated sequels dumped onto tape. If you don't drive yourself to distraction thinking about the appalling historical revisionism at work here, this is passable family entertainment. -Tom Keogh, Amazon. com.

The Lizzie McGuire Movie spins around the axis of Disney Channel starlet Hilary Duff, whose glossy good looks and rather mature figure are balanced by a sweetly bashful persona and an endearing klutziness. On a school trip to Rome, Lizzie is discovered to be the virtual twin of an Italian pop star named Isabella-and her dreamy former partner wants Lizzie to take Isabella's place at an award show to avoid a lawsuit. Only Lizzie's loyal best friend Gordo (Adam Lamberg) suspects that Paolo may not be all that he seems. The Lizzie McGuire Movie is competent fluff, with the most fun to be had coming from Lizzie's pesky little brother (Jake Thomas) and his Machiavellian friend Melina (Carly Schroeder), who plot to humiliate Lizzie for fun and personal gain. It also features Alex Borstein as Lizzie's tyrannical principal and chaperone. -Bret Fetzer.