DVD Find the Perfect Gift    Send a Gift Certificate
Search 
Home › Children's DVD › General
Review In the Night Garden / In the Night Garden: Hello Everybody! Box Set
Release date: 2008-11-24
Run time: 560 min.
RRP: £29.99
Price: £16.98

Review In the Night Garden: Hello Everybody! Box Set / In the Night Garden:


Review Peter Pan / Peter Pan (2 Disc Special Edition) [1953]
Release date: 2007-03-12
Run time: 74 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £7.51

Review Peter Pan (2 Disc Special Edition) [1953] / Peter Pan:

Peter Pan has a special place in the realm of classic animated Disney films: it instills an element of childlike wonder. The 1953 version of James M. Barrie's story is colourfully told and keeps on the straight and narrow of the book. Barrie's wondrous focus on child's play is the key to its longevity: kids who don't grow up, shadows that run away from their owners, pirates, a fairy, and the magic ability to fly. In short, you can't help wishing the adventure would happen to you. Fueled by a few memorable songs (the stunner being "You Can Fly") and the strong impression of the pixie fairy Tinkerbell and the goofy Captain Hook, Disney's version of this story neither supplants nor lessens the Broadway version with Mary Martin that was produced for television the same decade. Unlike some classics, Peter Pan never ages along the way. -Doug Thomas.

Review Optimum Home Entertainment / Son Of Rambow [2007]
Actors & Directors
  • Garth Jennings
  • Jessica Stevenson
  • Charlie Thrift
  • Jules Sitruck
  • Bill Milner
  • Will Poulter
Release date: 2008-08-11
Run time: 91 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £4.49

Review Son Of Rambow [2007] / Optimum Home Entertainment:

The clue to what Son Of Rambow is about is all in the title, minus that W, of course (which presumably keeps the lawyers at bay). For it's the story of two young boys who, after watching Sylvester Stallone in action, decide that they can make a home movie addition to the Rambo saga, and ultimately set about to do just that. This proves to be an inspired platform for one of the best British comedies of recent years. Directed by Garth Jennings (who also helmed the big screen adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy), Son Of Rambow is actually at heart the exploration of a friendship between two young boys in the 1980s, and the highs and lows that go along with it. Most, but not all, of the chuckles come from the reimagining of Rambo (replete with stunts and plenty of action), but Son Of Rambow also packs in some poignant, affecting drama without ever feeling like it's in any way overstaying its welcome. And with a musical backing that catches the flavour of the 80s pretty much perfectly, this is a treat of a movie, and a very British one at that. Don't miss it. -Jon Foster.

Review Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm / Dumbo (Special Edition) [1941]
Actors & Directors
  • Ben Sharpsteen
Release date: 2007-05-07
Run time: 64 min.
RRP: £17.99
Price: £7.04

Review Dumbo (Special Edition) [1941] / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm:


Review Entertainment in Video / The Golden Compass [2007]
Actors & Directors
  • Nicole Kidman
  • Daniel Craig
  • Dakota Blue Richards
  • Freddie Highmore
  • Ben Walker
  • Chris Weitz
Release date: 2008-04-28
Run time: 109 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £4.73

Review The Golden Compass [2007] / Entertainment in Video:

Perhaps it didn't ignite the box office in quite the way it'd been hoped, but that's little reason to pass over the qualities of The Golden Compass now it arrives on DVD. Based on the Phillip Pullman novel His Dark Materials-itself the start of the Northern Lights trilogy, the film isn't without a few problems, but emerges as a quality adaptation. And you certainly can't fault The Golden Compass for sheer ambition. The story, for those new to the series, is primarily that of 12-year old Lyra, who is in search of her friend who has been kidnapped. Naturally, this proves to be quite a challenging adventure, not least because it's through Pullman's vividly imagined world, crossing dimensions as Lyra travels. The film, while toning down and fiddling with some elements of the source material, stays quite close to the book, and it proves to be a good, if not Lord Of The Rings-standard, adaptation. What helps The Golden Compass, on top of the strong effects work and scope of the production, is a solid cast, featuring the likes of Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman and Dakota Blue Richards. And it certainly whets the appetite for the next instalment in the series. Whether the muted box office returns put pay to that remains to be seen: for now, at least, The Golden Compass is a good, solid family movie that's easy to enjoy. -Jon Foster.

Review Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm / Robin Hood [1973]
Actors & Directors
  • Wolfgang Reitherman
Release date: 2007-05-07
Run time: 80 min.
RRP: £17.99
Price: £7.28

Review Robin Hood [1973] / Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainm:


Review Peppa Pig / Peppa Pig - Peppa's Christmas
Release date: 2007-10-29
Run time: 60 min.
RRP: £12.99
Price: £4.37

Review Peppa Pig - Peppa's Christmas / Peppa Pig:


Review 4 Front Video / Clangers - Series 1 - Complete
Actors & Directors
  • Oliver Postgate
  • Clangers
Release date: 2005-04-04
Run time: 120 min.
RRP: £9.99
Price: £3.86

Review Clangers - Series 1 - Complete / 4 Front Video:


Review Walt Disney / The Aristocats Special Edition [1970]
Actors & Directors
  • Eva Gabor
  • Wolfgang Reitherman
  • Phil Harris
Release date: 2008-02-04
Run time: 76 min.
Creator: Robert B. Sherman
RRP: £19.99
Price: £7.48

Review The Aristocats Special Edition [1970] / Walt Disney:

Often forgotten about in the Disney back catalogue, The Aristocats is actually a fun, lively feline adventure, with plenty of zest and some terrific tunes too. Arriving in the wake of The Jungle Book, it's not vintage Disney, but it still sets itself a high standard. The Aristocats is set in France in 1910, and tells the tale of a high society cat and her trio of kittens who are dumped into the backstreets of Paris by an angry Butler when they inherit a fortune from their owner. Here, they're soon befriended by Thomas O'Malley (voiced by the unforgettable Phil Harris, who also lent his tones to Baloo in The Jungle Book) and a wild cast of characters, and it's as much a cue as is needed for some jazzy tunes, fast-paced animation and a fun family adventure. As the last film to have been supervised by Walt Disney before his death, The Aristocats inevitably has a significant place in the back catalogue at Disney HQ. Yet many still overlook it, and that's a real shame. There are well-realised Parisian locations, a good few chuckles, and a genuinely strong soundtrack that'll stick in your head long after the credits have rolled. It's good, too, to see Disney finally give the film the special edition it richly deserves. -Simon Brew.

Review 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment / Alvin And The Chipmunks [2007]
Actors & Directors
  • David Cross
  • Jason Lee
  • Jane Lynch
  • Tim Hill
  • Cameron Richardson
Release date: 2008-04-14
Run time: 87 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £5.93

Review Alvin And The Chipmunks [2007] / 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment:

A staggering surprise success at the box office just before Christmas 2007, the reason for the popularity of Alvin and the Chipmunks soon becomes clear. Not only is it a new adventure for a popular set of characters of old, it's also a fun, breezy family movie, that the kids in particular will enjoy. Starring Jason Lee (of My Name Is Earl fame), Alvin and the Chipmunks mixes in live action and CGI chipmunks (Alvin, Simon and Theodore) in a story that sees that moved from their natural habitat into the midst of the big city. The plot then becomes as predictable as you'd expect, but there's still plenty of fun to be had anyway. For Alvin and the Chipmunks has plenty in its corner. It's funny, first and foremost, and moves along at a good pace, never forgetting that its prime job is to entertain its audience. And that's something it easily manages to do, wrapping everything up by remembering not to outstay its welcome, either. Considering that Alvin and the Chipmunks enjoy a legion of fans that stretch back decades, it's perhaps not a surprise after all that the film enjoyed the success it did. But what's pleasing is that the spirit of the source material, in spite of its contemporary setting, is adhered to, and there's fun for all in the end product. -Jon Foster.

Review Walt Disney Home Video / Toy Story 2 (2 Disc Collector's Edition) [1999]
Actors & Directors
  • Tim Allen
  • Tom Hanks
  • John Morris
  • Lee Unkrich
  • Joan Cusack
  • John Lasseter
  • Kelsey Grammer
Release date: 2005-11-28
Run time: 89 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £4.98

Review Toy Story 2 (2 Disc Collector's Edition) [1999] / Walt Disney Home Video:


Review Paramount Home Entertainment / Shrek the Halls [2007]
Actors & Directors
  • Mike Meyers
  • Eddie Murphy
  • Antonio Banderas
  • Gary Trousdale
  • Cameron Diaz
Release date: 2008-11-03
Run time: 22 min.
RRP: £7.99
Price: £4.50

Review Shrek the Halls [2007] / Paramount Home Entertainment:


Review Warner Home Video / Harry Potter Years 1-5 Box Set [2001]
Actors & Directors
  • Daniel Radcliffe
  • Emma Watson
  • Ralph Fiennes
  • Rupert Grint
Release date: 2007-11-12
Run time: 719 min.
RRP: £39.99
Price: £17.98

Review Harry Potter Years 1-5 Box Set [2001] / Warner Home Video:


Review Uca / Camberwick Green - The Complete Collection [1966]
Actors & Directors
  • Brian Cant
Release date: 2007-10-29
Run time: 180 min.
Creator: Alison Prince
RRP: £9.99
Price: £2.40

Review Camberwick Green - The Complete Collection [1966] / Uca:


Review Warner Home Video / Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007]
Actors & Directors
  • Emma Watson
  • David Yates
  • Robbie Coltrane
  • Rupert Grint
  • Daniel Radcliffe
  • Ralph Fiennes
Release date: 2007-11-12
Run time: 138 min.
RRP: £24.99
Price: £6.75

Review Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007] / Warner Home Video:

While many movie franchises slide as they reach their later instalments, the Harry Potter films just keep getting better. The latest, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is easily the darkest of the series to date, and it's also one of the best. For while it could easily have been little more than a holding film to set up the big encounters to come in the last two instalments of the series, it's to the credit of British director David Yates that the end result is really very good. It finds Harry coming under suspicion from his wizarding colleagues, who don't believe his claims that the evil Lord Voldermort has returned. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix thus finds its title character on the backfoot for much of its running time, with a select band who firmly believe his story, and very powerful figures who don't. Where the movie of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix excels though is in its three trump cards. Number one is a far tighter script than we're used to with Potter films, which, combined with trump card number two-the aforementioned David Yates behind the camera-cuts much of the slavish loyalty to the text away in favour of a film with real momentum. The third, and best, card though is the casting of Imelda Staunton as Professor Dolores Umbridge, who simply flies away with every scene she's in. It's a superb performance, and the film is poorer whenever she's not on screen. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is not a film without a few problems, certainly: it's a fair criticism that not too much actually happens, and one or two bits feel superfluous. [+]
But it overrides its problems with ease, to emerge as a compelling, highly enjoyable family film, which will leave you salivating for the Christmas 2008 release of movie number six in the series. -Simon Brew.

Review 2 Entertain Video / Wallace And Gromit - 3 Cracking Adventures [1992]
Actors & Directors
  • Nick Park
  • Wallace And Gromit
  • Peter Sallis
Release date: 2007-09-24
Run time: 96 min.
RRP: £10.99
Price: £5.88

Review Wallace And Gromit - 3 Cracking Adventures [1992] / 2 Entertain Video:


Review Uca / Trumpton - The Complete Collection [1967]
Actors & Directors
  • Brian Cant
Release date: 2007-10-29
Run time: 180 min.
Creator: Alison Prince
RRP: £14.99
Price: £3.85

Review Trumpton - The Complete Collection [1967] / Uca:


Review Universal Pictures UK / The Snowman/Father Christmas [2005]
Actors & Directors
  • Dianne Jackson
  • Mel Smith
  • Dave Unwin
  • David Bowie
Release date: 2008-11-03
Run time: 52 min.
RRP: £9.99
Price: £4.70

Review The Snowman/Father Christmas [2005] / Universal Pictures UK:


Review Paramount Home Entertainment / Kung Fu Panda [Blu-ray] [2008]
Actors & Directors
  • Dustin Hoffman
  • John Stevenson
  • Seth Rogen
  • Mark Osborne
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Jack Black
  • Jackie Chan
Release date: 2008-11-17
Run time: 92 min.
RRP: £29.99
Price: £14.99

Review Kung Fu Panda [Blu-ray] [2008] / Paramount Home Entertainment:

Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen What's a panda to do when his dreams of kung-fu awesomeness awake to the cold reality of noodle-making? Clumsy, overweight Po (Jack Black) dreams of becoming a kung fu master like China's revered "furious five," but instead seems destined to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather in the restaurant business. When great leader Oogway has a vision that the imprisoned kung fu warrior Tai Lung (Ian McShane) will soon escape, he declares it time to choose China's dragon warrior-one kung fu master deemed worthy of possessing the dragon's scroll and its secret to limitless power. Po and all the townspeople rush to the Jade Palace atop the highest mountain to witness the contest between Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Mantis (Seth Rogen), Crane (David Cross) and Viper (Lucy Liu), but Po is locked outside the palace. After a miracle of sorts, Po lands inside the palace gates, where he is chosen as the dragon warrior and placed under the tutelage of the decidedly non-plussed master Shifu (Dustin Hoffman). An unconventional student to say the least, hilarity reigns as Shifu tries desperately to make Po into some semblance of a kung fu warrior. Can Po possibly fulfill his destiny as dragon warrior, or was Oogway's final decision a critical mistake? A film rich with hilarious moments, superior animation, and an important message about believing in oneself and the power that comes from within, Kung Fu Panda is great entertainment that will have the whole family laughing and begging for more. (Ages 3 and older) -Tami Horiuchi.

Review Contender Entertainment Group / Mr Benn - The Complete Series
Actors & Directors
  • Mr Benn
  • Ray Brooks
  • David McKee
Release date: 2005-10-10
Run time: 192 min.
RRP: £19.99
Price: £3.30

Review Mr Benn - The Complete Series / Contender Entertainment Group:


Models & Brands:
In the Night Garden: Hello Everybody! Box Set, Peter Pan (2 Disc Special Edition) [1953], Son Of Rambow [2007], Dumbo (Special Edition) [1941], The Golden Compass [2007], Robin Hood [1973], Peppa Pig - Peppa's Christmas, Clangers - Series 1 - Complete, The Aristocats Special Edition [1970], Alvin And The Chipmunks [2007], Toy Story 2 (2 Disc Collector's Edition) [1999], Shrek the Halls [2007], Harry Potter Years 1-5 Box Set [2001], Camberwick Green - The Complete Collection [1966], Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2 Disc Special Edition) [2007], Wallace And Gromit - 3 Cracking Adventures [1992], Trumpton - The Complete Collection [1967], The Snowman/Father Christmas [2005], Kung Fu Panda [Blu-ray] [2008], Mr Benn - The Complete Series

Top headlines:
Search 
DVD Rental: try it for free