The monsters in Monsters, Inc. are just so incredibly cute-and they know it. Whereas Woody, Buzz and pals in the Toy Story saga were filled with self-doubt about just how much the children in their lives would continue to love them, here our heroic monsters and their impossibly lovable human ward Boo have no such worries, at least when it comes to the cinema audience. And that's why Monsters, Inc. , for all its wondrous computer-animated artistry, its smart humour and its family-friendly appeal, doesn't quite capture the naïve charm of its predecessors. Nevertheless, John Goodman and Billy Crystal, as scare-champions Sulley and Mike, are a great double-act whose comedy never goes over kids' heads but still reaches up to make their parents laugh. The film's central conceit-that monsters in the bedroom closet are just doing a night's work in order to generate power from screams for the city of Monstropolis-is funny and cleverly worked out; and kids will of course love the fact that the monsters are mortally afraid of the very children they are trying to frighten. The animation is extraordinarily detailed (Sulley's fur is a marvel in itself) and the set-piece action sequences top anything that has gone before for sheer audaciousness. But overall Pixar play things very safe, from the hissable villain to the end credit "outtakes". A bolder film might have taken inspiration from The Nightmare Before Christmas; instead, a little of that Disney disease of knowing cuteness seems to have crept into the formula. [+]

Disney has had a rather chequered history over recent years, releasing a series of pointless sequels to classic original films; however, 101 Dalmatians II: Patch's London Adventure is more than worthy of attention. Picking up largely where the first cartoon left off, all the familiar characters are present and correct, from the loveable puppies to Cruella De Vil, surely one of the great villainesses of all time. The most noticeable feature of the film is the superb animation, hand drawn and totally in keeping with the style of the original movie. In an era when computer-generated images are so dominant, this gives 101 Dalmatians II a feel that is both fresh and classic at the same time. The story, too, is pure Disney-a tale of one puppy's efforts to find his own identity and calling-but it has a fair smattering of the wisecracks that have characterised more modern successes, such as Toy Story and Monsters, Inc. The character voiceovers are noticeably short on big-name stars, but that at least ensures that the English accents are actually English and not some misplaced American interpretation. They may have missed the target on more than one occasion recently, but with 101 Dalmatians II Disney has got considerably closer to hitting the bull's-eye.

Based on a retro-styled comic book hit of the 80s, this Disney film was meant to launch a whole line of Rocketeer films-but the series began and ended with this one. That's too bad because this underrated Joe Johnston film has a certain loopy charm. The story centres on a pre-World War II stunt pilot (Bill Campbell) who accidentally comes into possession of a rocket-propelled backpack much coveted by the Nazis. With the aid of his mechanic pal (Alan Arkin), he gets it up and running, then uses it to foil a plot by a gang of vicious Nazi spies (is there any other kind?) led by Timothy Dalton. Jennifer Connelly is on hand as the love interest but the real fun here is when the Rocketeer takes off. There's also a nifty battle atop an airborne blimp. -Marshall Fine.

Cadet Kelly Presented by the producers of Private Benjamin, Cadet Kelly is the story of a young teenage girl's dilemma when her life of free-spirited creativity and unmasked familial love collides with a world of extreme military discipline and reserve. Kelly Collins, played by Hilary Duff, is a happy student at New York Middle School of the Arts whose whole world changes dramatically when her mother marries an army captain who's just been promoted to Commandant at George Washington Military Academy. Thrust into a rigid world of obedience that frowns upon creativity and individuality, Kelly manages to make one close friend, but clashes with Cadet Captain Stone (Christy Carlson Romano) and is eventually court-martialled. Sentenced to maintain the equipment for the drill team, Kelly's disdain for the team suddenly evaporates when she glimpses the beauty and creativity involved in their precise maneuvers. Eventually, Kelly experiences significant personal growth, finds an outlet for her creativity, and begins to forge an important connection with her new stepfather. -Tami Horiuchi Life Size Unhappy and lonely after her mother's death, Casey (Lindsay Lohan) attempts to resurrect her mother, but a minor mishap changes the results of her spell and brings an unwanted doll named Eve (Tyra Banks) to life instead. Eve is elated when she first encounters the smells and flavours of real life, but is shocked to realize that she's not the perfect role model she's always considered herself to be. Casey initially despises Eve-she never wanted this doll in the first place and now she's ruined her chances of bringing her mother back to life. But as Eve grows, she brings out the best in Casey, encouraging her to renew old friendships and spurring personal growth and healing. Even Casey's father (Jere Burns) rises above his grief and builds a better relationship with his daughter as a result of his interaction with Eve. [+]

Disney's 1967 animated feature seems even more entertaining now than it did upon first release, with a hall-of-fame vocal performance by Phil Harris as Baloo, the genial bear friend of feral child Mowgli. Based on fiction by Rudyard Kipling, the film goes its own way as Disney animation will, but the strong characters and smart casting (Louis Prima as "King Louie" of the Apes; George Sanders as the villainous tiger, Shere Khan) make it one of the studio's stronger feature-length cartoons. Songs include "The Bare Necessities" and "Trust in Me". -Tom Keogh One of the very best animated films that the Walt Disney Studio has ever released (and the last to be produced by Walt Disney himself), and as downright brilliant as it was on its debut in 1967, The Jungle Book makes a very welcome return to DVD in this excellent 40th anniversary double-disc set. Based loosely on the Rudyard Kipling's book of the same name, the film tells the story of man-cub Mowgli, and the friends he makes in the jungle. And it's these friends who ignite the film, with some of the most memorable characters and songs that Disney has ever put on the screen. Kings of The Jungle Book are the likes of Baloo the Bear, King Louie the villainous Shere Khan the Tiger, while supporting characters such as Colonel Hathi are just as memorable. It's astonishing that it packs so much and so many into its relatively short running time. It's an amazing achievement too that The Jungle Book bristles with such energy and fun, and that it's just as likely to enthral the current generation of youngsters as well as those of us who saw it first time round. And when those songs start playing-from Bare Necessities through to I Wanna Be Like You-it'll take some effort to not start tapping your feet. [+]

This Greatest Hits compilation charts the period (1987-92) in Kylie's career when there was the most rapid change in both her image and music. Every single promo she made during her PWL period is featured, including the previously unreleased videos for "Made in Heaven" and "Celebration". Although the track listing is out of sequence, if watched in chronological order the distinct stylistic phases of Minogue over this five-year period soon become evident. From the cute bubble-perm Kylie of the "I Should Be So Lucky" era, to the sex-Kylie phase that commenced with 1990's "Better the Devil You Know", the videos represent all her early incarnations. Her fashion disasters are also recorded, too, such as the bizarre outfit and shoes she wore for "Got to be Certain" and the Parisian wartime look adopted for "Je ne sais pas pourquoi". Her most outrageous but greatest video moment is where she parodies certain movie stars in the chic video for "What Do I Have to Do?", and because of her heavy eye make-up almost earns herself the title drag-queen Kylie (watch out for sister Dannii who briefly stars in the video, wearing a blonde wig). All in all it's an excellent collection for those wanting a visual introduction to early Kylie, and/or those too young to remember her first time round. On the DVD: Kylie Greatest Hits unearths some very rare pieces of Kylie history and the producers of the DVD have gone out of their way to make the compilation as comprehensive as possible. However, the transfer quality is not much better than awful, both for rarities and more popular material such as "Especially for You". Diehard fans will be pleased, though, by the majority of the videos from the late-1980s including vintage personal introductions from Kylie about the making of the promos etc. [+]

Disney's first animated feature in CinemaScope is now available in widescreen presentations on video, and it is definitely good to get the whole picture. One of the studio's most original and charming movies, the 1955 film tells the story of a rakish, street-smart dog named Tramp, who helps an aristocratic pooch named Lady out of some trouble and then commences a romance with her. Sweet, funny scenes abound, and the combination of innocence and sophistication would have done well in a live-action picture. Peggy Lee co-wrote the songs and provides the voice of the Siamese cats in one of the film's best-known musical sequences. This newly restored version spruces up both sonics and visuals, and a letterbox version is available. - Tom Keogh, Amazon. com.

Not nearly as good as the original French comedy upon which it is based, Three Men and a Baby is nevertheless decent brain candy directed with some crackle by Leonard Nimoy. Tom Selleck, Steve Guttenberg, and Ted Danson star as three swinging bachelor roommates who find a baby girl on their doorstep-the daughter of Danson's character (who doesn't know about her) by a woman (Nancy Travis) with whom he had a brief fling. The jokes about dirty diapers and feeding schedules are predictable, but the film gains real warmth from Selleck, who does a convincing job playing a man whose life is changed for the better by added responsibility. A distracting subplot involving some bad guys threatens to derail everything, and the ending is a bit unconvincing as filmed, but the virtues of this film finally win out over its weaknesses. -Tom Keogh, Amazon. com.

Unlike Disney's other sequels to their classic films, this follow-up to the 1953 version of Peter Pan debuted in cinemas. In Peter Pan - Return to Never Land World War II has turned Wendy's preteen daughter, Jane, into a realist, a girl who insists there's no need for stories and fun while London is crumbling. Hook kidnaps Jane (thinking she's Wendy) and returns to "the second star to the right" to foil Pan. Alas, the film doesn't build on this new storyline (the London scenes have the most emotional impact) and what follows is a thin reworking of the original. On the plus side, a clever octopus takes over from that old crocodile, and Jane turns out to be a solid-and modern-role model. Those from ages 4 to 9 who have been brought up on the original should enjoy these adventures, even if the story, like Peter himself, "hasn't grown up. " The 72-minute film is shown with the delightful 1948 short "Pluto's Fledgling. " -Doug Thomas.

A classic fable gets fused with War of the Worlds in Disney's Chicken Little. In the small town of Oakey Oaks, young Chicken Little (voiced by Zach Braff, Garden State) struggles to live down the embarrassment of having once thought the sky was falling. But when he gets struck again by a hexagonal, sky-camouflaged, hi-tech doohickey, he and his friends Ugly Duckling (Joan Cusack, School of Rock), Runt of the Litter (Steve Zahn, Sahara), and Fish Out of Water discover that aliens are preparing to invade Earth-but since no one believed Chicken Little the first time, why would they believe him now? Though kids will enjoy the bright whizz-bang action sequences of Chicken Little, discerning parents will find the movie tedious. Technically, it has the computer animation quality of Pixar-but with none of their intelligence, heart, or simple storytelling skill. The basic idea of connecting the fable to aliens is amusing, but the script routinely bogs down in clumsy father-son issues that seem like material edited out of Finding Nemo. The jokes rarely have anything to do with the characters, but are mostly pop-culture references that are sadly out of date. The action sequences were obviously created with the inevitable video game in mind, for which the movie is little more than an advertisement. Chicken Little falls flat. -Bret Fetzer.

Even as Disney has revelled in the success of its high-end animated features, it occasionally sneaks a lesser effort into cinemas, based on one of the many TV shows with which it dominates daytime TV. This one is based on perennial Disney favourite Goofy's adventures in domesticated bliss. Goofy is now a single dad; when son Max gets blamed for a prank gone wrong at school, Goofy blames himself and decides that, for his vacation, he's going to get away with Max alone. Of course, this is no treat for Max, who has just met the girl of his dreams and harbours no wish to spend the summer touring America with his square dad. The vacation is one disaster after another, though they aren't particularly funny disasters; the culmination involves Goofy's efforts to get Max backstage at a big rock concert. -Marshall Fine.

This legendary animated feature is surely beyond criticism by now and, furthermore, it's unlikely that we'll see such forceful narrative in a kids' cartoon ever again. Disney's treatment of Collodi's story of the little wooden puppet who wants nothing more than to be a real boy is always guaranteed to have audiences entranced. While some of the movie's success is derived from its liberal use of the kind of imagery no children's film-maker would even attempt to get past the storyboard stage today-a mysterious island where children smoke cigars, get drunk and turn into donkeys, a monstrous, malicious sea-creature which is devoid of any trace of cuddliness and a pair of villains who routinely abduct children, to give just a few examples-the characters are depicted with the finest attention to detail, most of the songs have become classics in their own right ("When You Wish Upon a Star" being only one of many) and the graceful, stylised animation positively glows with fine detail. Essential family viewing. -Roger Thomas.

Kylie Minogue concludes her On a Night Like This tour with an unashamed pop extravaganza on home ground in Sydney, performing to a huge audience which these days consists of more adults than teenagers. Kylie has undoubtedly matured over the years, too, and-apart from a brief stint believing she could become a "serious" artist-appears perfectly happy in her role as the Princess of Pop. Kylie fulfils different roles for different groups within the audience: for females it's all about adulation-rediscovering her childlike appeal like a long-lost friend; the men are offered a fantasy figure-the camera drawn like a magnet to her derrière for 20 per cent of the concert; and she simultaneously manages to be a gay icon, without becoming overtly camp. The joy of Kylie is that she has become all things to all people, offered up in a perfectly petite package. It's clear that the years of work as a performer have paid off, her vocals are much stronger now with a real sense of professionalism, and just to prove this she performs two old favourites as serious pieces, "I Should Be So Lucky" is offered as a ballad and "Better the Devil You Know" is transported to Shirley Bassey territory, allowing Kylie to prove her vocal range. In true show-stopping style we're offered a multitude of costume changes: from hot-pant mania to refined suits and rock-chick leather, Kylie inevitably appears looking great; although the same cannot be said for her backing dancers, whose outfits are often laughable, with all the style of a school play costume. Despite the many faces of Kylie on display here, pop stardom does not appear to have changed her girl-next-door image-Kylie remains in our hearts a true "neighbour". On the DVD: This music disc is like Kylie, perfectly packaged in every way. The menu is beautifully laid out (even though the images offer an excess of cleavage) with a great range of easily accessible options. You can choose simply to play the concert straight in its pristine 16:9 anamorphic screen ratio or you can select your favourite songs from the track selection option; you can visit Kylie backstage or watch the great music video for "Spinning Around". [+]

John Lasseter and his gang of high-tech creators at Pixar create another entertainment for the ages. Like the handful of other great movie sequels, Toy Story 2 comments on why the first one was so wonderful while finding a fresh angle worthy of a new film. The craze of toy collecting becomes the focus here, as we find out Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) is not only a beloved toy to Andy but also a rare doll from a popular 60s children's show. When a greedy collector takes Woody, Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) launches a rescue mission with Andy's other toys. To say more would be a crime because this is one of the most creative and smile-inducing films since, well, the first Toy Story. Although the toys look the same as in the 1994 feature, Pixar shows how much technology has advanced: the human characters look more human, backgrounds are superior, and two action sequences that book-end the film are dazzling. And it's a hoot for kids and adults. The film is packed with spoofs, easily accessible in-jokes and inspired voice casting (with newcomer Joan Cusack especially a delight as Cowgirl Jessie). But as the Pixar canon of films illustrates, the filmmakers are storytellers first. Woody's heart-tugging predicament can easily be translated into the eternal debate of living a good life versus living for forever. [+]