![Review Walt Disney Video / Princess Diaries [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51SBT34H34L._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- Heather Matarazzo
- Julie Andrews
- Anne Hathaway
- Garry Marshall
- Hector Elizondo
- Mandy Moore (II)
Run time: 115 min.
Price: £3.82
Review Princess Diaries [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Walt Disney Video:A thoroughly engaging fairy tale that's family friendly without being condescending, The Princess Diaries is your basic Cinderella makeover story given a fresh, affectionate twist courtesy of a game, energetic cast and a screenplay that skirts schmaltz in favour of gentle, effective comedy. Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is a frizzy-haired, glasses-wearing 15-year-old girl whose two highest ambitions are to become invisible and to get a few smooches from the slickly attractive school heartthrob. As a girl who can't stand being the centre of attention so much that she throws up during debate class, she's stunned and horrified when her coolly continental grandmother(Julie Andrews) shows up and informs her that she's the crown princess of the European principality Genovia. Soon enough, Mia has to undertake "princess lessons" (and a makeover) from her queenly grandmother, and eventually she blossoms into a confident, radiant girl despite the worries and pressure that her newfound status brings. What makes The Princess Diaries work is director Garry Marshall's guileless, irony-free approach to the material (based on Meg Cabot's novel). In comparison to most sarcastic, ultra-hip teen comedies, The Princess Diaries is refreshingly and enjoyably square, content to win you over on charm alone and not a slick bag of tricks. Hathaway is a charismatic, appealing role model with a sharp sense of comic timing, and Andrews-who came to stardom as the object of a makeover supreme in My Fair Lady on Broadway-is at her regal best, whether teaching Mia the proper royal wave or learning how to eat a corndog. Both leading ladies are complemented by a finely tuned cast, including Hector Elizondo as Genovia's head of security (and romantic counterpart to Andrews), Heather Matarazzo as Mia's best pal, and Robert Schwartzman as the good guy who ultimately wins Mia's heart. All in all, this is a royal pleasure. -Mark Englehart, Amazon. [+]com.
Actors & Directors
- Darrell Rooney
- Liz Callaway
- Matthew Broderick
- Moira Kelly
- Neve Campbell
- Michelle Horn
- Rob LaDuca
Run time: 78 min.
RRP: £16.99
Price: £8.95
Review Lion King II, The: Simba's Pride / Walt Disney Home Video:The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is another made-for-video sequel to a Disney masterpiece. As with the Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas sequels, most of the recognisable vocal talents return, creating a worthwhile successor to the highest-grossing animated film ever. We pick up the story as the lion king, Simba (voiced by Matthew Broderick) and Nala (Moira Kelly) have a new baby cub, a girl named Kiara (Neve Campbell). Like her father before, she seeks adventure and ends up outside the Pridelands, where lions loyal to the evil Scar (who died in the original) have lived with revenge in their hearts. The leader, Zira (a spunky turn from Suzanne Pleshette), schemes to use her son Kovu (Jason Marsden) to destroy Simba. As luck with have it, Kiara has bumped into Kovu and fallen in love. This all sounds familiar since all of Disney's straight-to-video sequels have played it very safe, nearly repeating the originals' story, tone, and pace. Perhaps there were too many cooks for this production. Besides the two screenplay credits, there are eight other writers credited for additional written material. The look of the film has none of the surprise of the original but is far superior to other animated videos. [+]In fact, the film played in European cinemas. For children, the sequel will be a favourite. The comic antics of Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumba (Ernie Sabella) are enjoyable, as is Andy Dick as Nuka, the mixed-up older son of Zira. And there's plenty of action. The best element is the music. Relying on more African-influenced music, the five songs featured are far superior to those in Disney's other sequels. Zira's song of revenge, "My Lullaby," was cowritten by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon. The oustanding opening number, "He Lives in You", was created for the Lion King Broadway smash and now finds a whole new audience. -Doug Thomas.
![Review Walt Disney Video / The Incredibles [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51G0XDKS1QL._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- John Ratzenberger
- Samuel L. Jackson
- Elizabeth Peña
- Holly Hunter
- Craig T. Nelson
Run time: 115 min.
Creator: Andrew Jimenez
Price: £11.44
Review The Incredibles [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Walt Disney Video:
Release date: 2005-03-14
RRP: £11.99
Price: £2.24
Review Timon And Pumbaa - Vol. 2 - Dining Out With Timon And Pumbaa / Walt Disney Home Video:
Release date: 2008-07-29
Run time: 520 min.
Price: £15.55
Review Pokemon Battle Frontier Box 1 (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Pokémon:
Release date: 1995-07-15
Run time: 105 min.
Price: £10.99
Review My Best Friends Too [1994] / Walt Disney Home Video:
Actors & Directors
- George Lucas
- Alec Guinness
- Richard Marquand
- Mark Hamill
- Harrison Ford
- Carrie Fisher
- Irvin Kershner
- Peter Cushing
Price: £49.00
Review Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) Limited Gold Edition / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment 27233HMVDVD:George Lucas's original Star Wars trilogy is a clever synthesis of pop-cultural and mythological references, taking classic fairy-tale themes, adding more than a dash of Arthurian legend, and providing cinematic high adventure inspired as much by Kurosawa's Samurai epics as by Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. As a result, audiences of all ages can find something to identify with in Luke Skywalker's journey from disaffected teenager dreaming of adventure to Jedi Knight and saviour of the galaxy. He not only rescues a Princess, but discovers she's a close relative. And if there's a lesson to be gleaned from the Skywalker clan, it's that no matter how bad things get in the average dysfunctional family, it's never too late for reconciliation.
![Review EMI / Robbie Williams - Angels [1999]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51609PFPJKL._SL160_.jpg)
Release date: 1999-12-13
Run time: 60 min.
RRP: £11.99
Price: £2.59
Review Robbie Williams - Angels [1999] / EMI:
![Review Cinema Club / Bugsy Malone [1976]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51198P7P4WL._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- John Cassisi
- Martin Lev
- Florrie Dugger
- Jodie Foster
- Scott Baio
- Alan Parker
Run time: 90 min.
RRP: £9.99
Price: £37.95
Review Bugsy Malone [1976] / Cinema Club:Remember that scene in Jerry Maguire where the title character suddenly realises the foolhardiness of his impulsively written manifesto? That's how director Alan Parker (Mississippi Burning) ought to feel every day of his life since making this dopey, 1976 musical featuring an all-kid cast playing Prohibition-era gangsters and molls. What was Parker thinking? The cuteness of the concept never did hold up for more than 10 minutes, but the film extends it impossibly into a feature. Jodie Foster is on hand, lip-synching a Paul Williams song (Williams wrote the score), but even she can't detract from Parker's silliness. It's a toss-up as to whether children will enjoy watching it, since the characters and the milieu are based on adult situations. - Tom Keogh, Amazon. com.
![Review Walt Disney Video / No Deposit, No Return [1976] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Z2NX1RW8L._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- Darren McGavin
- Don Knotts
- Norman Tokar
- Barbara Feldon
- Herschel Bernardi
- David Niven
Run time: 111 min.
Price: £3.97
Review No Deposit, No Return [1976] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Walt Disney Video:
![Review Walt Disney Home Video / The Emperor's New Groove [2001]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513QVA6101L._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- John Goodman
- Patrick Warburton
- David Spade
- Mark Dindal
- Eartha Kitt
- Wendie Malick
Run time: 74 min.
RRP: £14.99
Price: £0.97
Review The Emperor's New Groove [2001] / Walt Disney Home Video:The Emperor's New Groove was originally developed as an epic called Kingdom of the Sun and lost scale and most of Sting's song score (some of which can be heard on the soundtrack) on its way to the screen. The end result is the lightest Disney film in many a moon, a joyous romp akin to Aladdin in its quotient of laughs for children and adults. The original story centres on the spoiled teenage emperor Kuzco (David Spade), who enjoys getting the best of his Aztecan subjects. When he fires Yzma (Eartha Kitt), his evil sorceress, she seeks revenge and turns Kuzco into a llama with the help of Kronk, her hunk of the month (Patrick Warburton). Alone in the jungle, the talking llama is befriended by Pacha (John Goodman), who has just been told to vacate his pastoral home by the human Kuzco. What's an ego to do? That's pretty much the story and the characters-simple, direct, fun-a Disney film on a diet. For any fan of the acidic humour of Spade, this is essential viewing. As narrator of his tale, Kuzco uses a sarcastic tone to keep the story jumping with plenty of fun asides (he even "stops" the film at one point to make sure you know the story is about him). Even better is character actor Warburton (Elaine's stuck-up boyfriend on Seinfeld), who steals every scene as the dim-witted, but oh-so-likable Kronk. There's even a delicious Tom Jones number that starts the film off with a bang. [+]-Doug Thomas, Amazon. com.
![Review Walt Disney Video / Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514KWWK6DEL._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- Paige O'Hara
- Barbara Dourmashkin
- Robby Benson
- Dale Kase
- Gregory Grudt
- Cullen Blaine
- Jeff Bennett
- Jim Cummings
- Burt Medall
- Daniel De La Vega
Run time: 92 min.
Price: £12.54
Review Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Walt Disney Video:Belle's Magical World is a straight-to-video animated story set in the Beast's castle, which, as viewers know from the original Beauty and the Beast film, is under a spell until the Beast can learn to love. Starting with this familiar premise, it plummets into three disjointed episodes surrounding Belle's life as a captive in the castle. In "The Perfect World" a misunderstanding of words erupts between Belle and the Beast, made worse by a feigned apology. Fifi and Lumiere take the spotlight in "Fifi's Folly" when a romantic evening together becomes a chilling adventure inside a runaway sleigh. In "The Broken Wing" Belle entreats the Beast to act kindly toward a tiny songbird. Each tale offers a diluted moral message, yet the entire effort feels contrived and confusing. -Lynn Gibson The film that officially signalled Disney's animation renaissance and the only animated feature to receive a Best Picture Oscar nomination, Beauty and the Beast remains the yardstick by which all other animated films should be measured. It relates the story of Belle, a bookworm with a dotty inventor for a father; when he inadvertently offends the Beast (a prince whose heart is too hard to love anyone besides himself) Belle boldly takes her father's place, imprisoned in the Beast's gloomy mansion. Naturally, Belle teaches the Beast to love. What makes this such a dazzler, besides the amazingly accomplished animation and the winning coterie of supporting characters (the Beast's mansion is overrun by quipping, dancing household items) is the array of beautiful and hilarious songs by composer Alan Menken and the late, lamented lyricist Howard Ashman, (winning the 1991 Oscar for Best Song and Menken's score won a trophy as well). [+]The downright funniest song is "Gaston" a lout's paean to himself (including the immortal line: "I use antlers in all of my de-co-ra-ting"). "Be Our Guest" is transformed into an inspired Busby Berkeley homage. Since Ashman's passing, animated musicals haven't quite reached the same exhilarating level of wit, sophistication and pure joy. -David Kronke.
Release date: 2006-05-29
RRP: £11.99
Price: £3.49
Review Power Rangers Space Patrol Delta: Stakeout - Vol. 2 / Power Rangers S.P.D.:
![Review Maverick Entertainment / Transformers Original Series Volume 2 [1984]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51R21FKWFWL._SL160_.jpg)
Release date: 2002-04-29
Run time: 132 min.
RRP: £15.99
Price: £0.01
Review Transformers Original Series Volume 2 [1984] / Maverick Entertainment:Though it's the second DVD release from the original animated series, Transformers Original Series Volume 2 contains the popular three-part origin story, "More Than Meets the Eye". It tells the story of how this race of alien robots (the evil Decepticons and the heroic Autobots) left their war-torn home planet of Cybertron and arrived on Earth, as well as introducing some of the series' most popular characters (including Optimus Prime and Megatron), "More Than Meets the Eye" is an essential introduction to the entire Transformers universe. The other three episodes collected here-"Roll For It", "Transport to Oblivion" and "Divide and Conquer"-are less essential to all but the most committed Transformers fan, with animation and a script that's just not quite up to scratch. Still, as a nostalgia piece at the very least, Transformers Original Series Volume 2 is nothing less than entertaining. -Ted Kord.
![Review Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm / X-Men - The Legend Of Wolverine [2003]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51D1CWG9EWL._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- Tony Daniels
- Alison Sealy-Smith
- Chris Potter
Run time: 80 min.
RRP: £14.99
Price: £9.97
Review X-Men - The Legend Of Wolverine [2003] / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm:
![Review Walt Disney Video / Miracle of the White Stallions [1962] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51384KAK10L._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- Lilli Palmer
- Robert Taylor
- Arthur Hiller
- Eddie Albert
- James Franciscus
- Curd Jürgens
Run time: 118 min.
Price: £4.47
Review Miracle of the White Stallions [1962] (REGION 1) (NTSC) / Walt Disney Video:
![Review First International / The Famous Five - Five Get Into Trouble / Five Go Adventuring Again [1996] [1978]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51HV4HS12DL._SL160_.jpg)
Actors & Directors
- Jemma Rooper
- Tony Kysh
- Michael Kerrigan
- Andrew Morgan
Run time: 51 min.
Price: £5.99
Review The Famous Five - Five Get Into Trouble / Five Go Adventuring Again [1996] [1978] / First International:
Actors & Directors
- Ossie Davis
- Ralph Zondag
- Max Casella
- Alfre Woodard
- D.B. Sweeney
- Eric Leighton
- Hayden Panettiere
Run time: 79 min.
RRP: £24.99
Price: £34.99
Review Dinosaur - Collector's Edition (Disney) (2000) / Walt Disney Home Video:Dinosaurs come alive like never before in this costly computer-animated film from Disney. After a breathtaking opening (a dino egg is kidnapped), the film changes style; realistic dinosaurs are given human characteristics and voices. The kidnapped egg grows into an iguanodon named Aladar (voiced by DB Sweeney), who is raised by lemurs (shades of Tarzan) on a lush island void of other dinosaurs. When a meteorite destroys their island home in a thrilling sequence, the lemur family and Aladar become part of a dinosaur troop roaming the mainland deserts looking for the lush nesting grounds (shades of the fourth instalment of the Land Before Time series and Fantasia). Disney's use of cheeky modern slang (one lemur calls himself "a love monkey") is present, as is its typical capital-punishment narrative logic: anyone against our forward-thinking hero (or even disagreeing with him) ends up dead. Curiously, the meanies, a pair of carnotaurs following the group, are nameless and voiceless. This more realistic approach might have been a bigger wow, as in the BBC's Walking with Dinosaurs, which looked extraordinary with only a fraction of the budget. The complexity and scope of Dinosaur's visual scale is impressive, and group shots and a point-of-view angle are stunning. The film should be a favourite for the 6 to 11-year-old set. -Doug Thomas, Amazon. [+]com.
Release date: 2005-04-04
Run time: 65 min.
RRP: £5.99
Price: £3.65
Review Transformers - Armada - Vol. 3 / Transformers Armada:
Release date: 2006-05-08
RRP: £11.99
Price: £4.00
Review Jo Jo's Circus - Take A Bow / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm:
| Browse Ages 9-11:
Models & Brands:
Princess Diaries [2001] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Lion King II, The: Simba's Pride, The Incredibles [2004] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Timon And Pumbaa - Vol. 2 - Dining Out With Timon And Pumbaa, Pokemon Battle Frontier Box 1 (REGION 1) (NTSC), My Best Friends Too [1994], Star Wars Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI) Limited Gold Edition, Robbie Williams - Angels [1999], Bugsy Malone [1976], No Deposit, No Return [1976] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Emperor's New Groove [2001], Beauty and the Beast: Belle's Magical World [2003] (REGION 1) (NTSC), Power Rangers Space Patrol Delta: Stakeout - Vol. 2, Transformers Original Series Volume 2 [1984], X-Men - The Legend Of Wolverine [2003], Miracle of the White Stallions [1962] (REGION 1) (NTSC), The Famous Five - Five Get Into Trouble / Five Go Adventuring Again [1996] [1978], Dinosaur - Collector's Edition (Disney) (2000), Transformers - Armada - Vol. 3, Jo Jo's Circus - Take A Bow |
