Disney's Sing Along Songs - 12 Days of Christmas Review

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(More customer reviews)My four year old has learned a lot from this video. If your child likes Disney characters then this is a must buy. Yes, it
is shorter than a movie. But my son likes me to watch it with him and we sing and dance to each song. I'm glad it's not a 2 hour movie! He sees the words across the screen and is learning new words that way. Xmas is over but we watch it everyday.

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Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse Review

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(More customer reviews)In 2001, Disney released "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse", a Christmas special from the House of Mouse TV Show. And like most Disney releases, once it's released, don't expect to see another release again for years. And in this case, 8 years later (2009) and right in time for the holidays, "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse" is back.
This Christmas episode is about how all the Disney characters (characters from nearly every Disney animated film) are stranded at the House of Mouse (a night club) due to a snow storm. So, Mickey being the gracious host that he is, is trying to bring home that Christmas spirit and entertain his guest. The problem is that Donald Duck is not having a great time is like the scrooge at the Christmas party. So, Mickey tries to make Donald happy and entertain his guest by showing classic Disney animated shorts which include:
* Donald On Ice (1999) - Donald tries to learn to skate, while Huey, Dewey and Louie try to build a snowman. But unfortunately, Donald's inability to skate tends to ruin the triplets chance at building their snowman.
* Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952) -Mickey cuts down a Christmas Tree and doesn't know that the Chipmunks: Chip & Dale are living in the tree. Unfortunately, Chip & Dale tend to drive Pluto nuts and thus Pluto does what he can to get the Chipmunks.
* The Nutcracker (1999) - A young girl (played by Minnie Mouse) receives a present (which is a wooden mouse) and dreams for it to become real, so she can dance with him.
* Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - The popular Disney Christmas animated short features the story of Scrooge McDuck and how he's mean to everyone for Christmas until he learns a lesson from the Spirit of Christmas past.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
"Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In a the House of Mouse" is an animated full-length feature that features nice, vibrant animation during the more modern "House of Mouse" television show. But each time the feature switches to the animated shorts, you get mixed results in terms of picture quality due to some of these animated shorts being over 30/50-years old. But overall, the classics due show a difference in animation quality but for those who enjoyed animation like "Mickey's Christmas Carol" or even the older classic animated short "Pluto's Christmas Tree", although not digitally remastered, these classics due hold up well on DVD decades later.
As for audio, "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In a the House of Mouse" is featured in DTS 5.1 and Dolby Digital 5.1. The series is primarily front and center channel driven and personally, I didn't notice any surround or LFE usage but dialogue is clear and understandable.
Subtitles are presented in English SDH.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
"Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse" comes with the following special features:
* Premiere Episode of House of Mouse - (23:07) An episode of "House of Mouse" featuring various Disney characters from popular animated films visiting the House of Mouse nightclub. Meanwhile, Pete buys the building of where the House of Mouse is located and wants to shut down the cartoon club.
* The Sounds of Christmas - (2:33) A Disney sound engineer teaches children how to make sounds using objects and how they were utilized in certain animation.
* SingAlong "Deck the Halls" - (1:50) Karaoke SingAlong to "Deck the Halls" with animation from "Pluto's Christmas Tree".
* SingAlong Song "Sleigh Ride" - (1:57) Karaoke SingAlong to "Sleigh Ride" with animation from "Mickey's Christmas Carol".
JUDGMENT CALL:
I watched "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse" with my toddler and he absolutely loved it and wanted to watch it again. And as a holiday family feature, it is an entertaining release that will be fun, due to the number of Disney characters seen throughout the feature.
With that being said, for those who own the recent release of Walt Disney Animated Shorts Collection or other Disney releases probably have the animated shorts on previously released DVD's. Those who own the original release from 2001, there is really is nothing new on this DVD with the exception of the new trailers. In fact, if you are a fan who mainly wants this release for its holiday-related animated shorts, then you may want to check out the just released "Disney Animation Collection 7: Mickey's Christmas Carol" which comes with "Mickey's Christmas Carol", "Pluto's Christmas Tree" and two other Disney classics.
But with this release of "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse", if you are a "House of Mouse" fan, you do get the premiere episode of "House of Mouse" and other short entertaining holiday special features. I do admit that I wished that the DVD release had more interactivity like other Disney releases with games or something extra.
Overall, "Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mouse" is entertaining for young and old as it does feature newer and older animation and if you don't own these animated shorts on another previously released Disney collection, it's worth checking out. But if you do have these shorts already, it's kind of hard to recommend it as the majority of the content in this feature are those classic shorts.
So, for parents who are looking for a Disney holiday release, as mentioned earlier, my son loved it and wanted to watch it again. So, yes it is an entertaining and fun Disney holiday release. I recommend Disney fans looking for a an animated holiday release to also purchase a copy of "Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas" (2004), if you don't own it already.

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Celebrate the season with Disney's most popular holiday movie ever! Starring Mickey Mouse and 35 of the world's most beloved characters, this one-of-a-kind adventure joyously captures the spirit of Christmas and is sure to delight the entire family. When a huge snowstorm leaves everyone stranded, Mickey and all of his guests at The House Of Mouse, including Pooh, Belle, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel and many more of his old and new friends, break out the cookies and hot chocolate to help Donald mend his tattered Christmas spirit. The fun starts when Minnie pulls out their favorite holiday home movies and everyone starts to reminisce. Their magical memories soon put everyone in the Christmas mood -- even grumpy Donald, who ultimately becomes the star of the evening. Featuring four unforgettable holiday tales, including The Nutcracker, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Donald On Ice and Pluto And The Christmas Tree, plus an epic finale of The Best Christmas Of All, this holiday treat is bound to become a tradition for you and your family.Bonus Features Include: Premiere Episode Of HOUSE OF MOUSE, The Sounds Of Christmas -- A Disney Sound Effects Featurette, Holiday Sing-Along Songs Deck The Halls and Sleigh Ride

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Disney's Little Einsteins - Rocket's Firebird Rescue (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the best Little Einsteins DVDs yet for exposing kids to classical music. Twice as long as a regular television program, its 51-minute main feature, "Rocket's Firebird Rescue," will really make children familiar with Igor Stravinsky's "The Firebird."
Just about the perfect length for many youngsters' attention spans, the program tells the tale of the Firebird, a mythical crane that spreads music throughout Russia until a mean, magical ogre traps it. It also introduces kids to the painting "Improvisation" by Wassily Kandinsky, the amazing eggs of Carl Faberge, Russian nesting dolls, even St. Basil's Cathedral and the Baikal freshwater seal.
It's even better if you view it with a home theater set-up, as the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack includes the kids' "Rocket" flying machine zooming around you as it travels.
The DVD also contains a regular episode of the Little Einsteins television series, 2007's "Rocket Soup," in which the kids fill up their transporter with its favorite food, a mix of cheese, peas, and jumping beans. It features Antonin Dvorak's catchy "Humoresque No. 7" (you'll know it when you hear it) and the painting "Moonrise" by Paul Klee.
There is just one bonus feature, "Magic Mission," which plays the main feature with "hidden" pop-up cards. When selected with a remote, each leads to an animated fun fact.

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LITTLE EINSTEINS:ROCKET'S FIREBIRD RE - DVD Movie

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Disney's Sing-Along Songs - Happy Haunting (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)The collection of songs and scenes in this sing along take place inside the Haunted House at Disneyland and we are given the idea that the 3 central characters (3 kids) are inside the house. The story line moves very well as the the 3 children discover different passages and rooms in the house and in the process become more in tune with the idea of happy haunting. You do not see a lot of real life mickey and friends as in Disneyland Fun but you will have no doubt that this is a Disney film as they are presented in nearly every sing-along on the disc. My 2 1/2 and 4 year old enjoys this dvd and in keeping with the "spirit" of Halloween ask for it on a regular basis. I would definitly put this as a backdrop to any child or adult Halloween party.

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Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Mickey Saves Santa (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)We recently bought the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse CD and I LOVE it. So when I heard that a new DVD was coming out--Mickey Saves Santa--I of course wanted to buy it for my son. (We buy several new holiday DVDs every year.)
Mickey Saves Santa features 3 episodes:
*Mickey Saves Santa
*Goofy's Bird
*Mickey-Go-Seek
The new episode, Mickey Saves Santa, is only about 17 minutes long--with a very simplistic plot line. In fact, Mickey and Donald are the primary Disney characters. The rest of the gang are relegated to showing up at Mickey's for a slumber party (right before Mrs. Claus crashes the party requesting Mickey's help), and then at the end of the story.
Santa is apparently stuck at Mistletoe Mountain and Mrs. Claus asks Mickey to help. Mickey then asks Donald to be the co-pilot. He protests, almost beginning a tantrum, while Mrs. Claus gently scolds "Now Donald--be nice or you won't get any presents!" She does this about 5 times through the entire story! At the end of the "adventure", Donald is rewarded with tons of gifts for "being nice". Never mind that his natural inclination is to throw tantrums and be greedy--all that matters is that, because he's "played nice" for awhile, he's now deserving of a crap load of presents. (Not because the Claus's are grateful, but because Donald "played nice". What a message to send to kids! Unfortunately, this world rarely rewards those who "play nice"--let alone those who actually ARE nice and do so because they're nice at core.)
My personal rant aside, this DVD isn't worth the rather expensive price, in my opinion--especially since the other 2 episodes air frequently on Playhouse Disney...and Mickey Saves Santa probably will be airing in December, too.
I was expecting a full-length movie with an engaging plot, colorful animation, and ALL the characters--not a short, simplistic mini-story featuring a Mrs. Claus with a white Elvis 'do.
There aren't many extras on this DVD, either--just a "Dance-Along" to the rousing song "Hot Dog" (which is just the characters dancing around to the ending Clubhouse song--no dance step instructions or anything) and a Picture Puzzle Game which has kids guessing which one of three pictures is being formed by a (very simplistic) on-screen puzzle. I think we got through 15 or more puzzles, so there's a decent amount. But still...
If your child is a rabid fan of Mickey Mouse or the Clubhouse TV show, they'll probably love this DVD. However, I think that Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas is a better buy. If you prefer CGI animation, Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas is stunning--but some of the thematic elements aren't so "nice", especially for younger kids.

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This holiday, pack the sleigh, hitch up the reindeer, and celebrate the season with Mickey and all his friends in a fun-filled adventure. When Santa's sleigh breaks down at the top of Mistletoe Mountain, Mickey and Donald race to his rescue. The gang plays a game of hide-and-seek with the world's greatest hider -- Donald Duck! And Goofy needs help returning a lost baby bird to its mother in the forest. Be a part of three hilarious stories about helping others, and discover that the greatest gift of all is good friends. Open the door to Mickey's Clubhouse, and unwrap some holiday fun for the entire family.

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Living Color (1937) Review

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(More customer reviews)First the good:
This is by far the best compilation of Mickey shorts available to the public to date. Disney produced 87 Mickey shorts in the 30's - by far the most prolific period of Mickey Mouse Cartoons (there were only 120 made from 1928 to 1953). 27 of these shorts are contained on this disc, which constitutes more than half of the color Mickeys made. He was already a sensation before he went to color; these shorts firmly established him as an American icon. To the animation fan, it can be argued that this disc contains some of the best cartoon "acting" of the golden age of animation. By no means should a serious fan avoid this disc.
The not so good:
These shorts have not been remastered. I'm not even sure they come from the best available print. Some of these shorts have looked better on the "Ink and Paint Club." The cartoons in this package contain flaws that some could consider unacceptable, or at least annoying - colors going out of register (albeit probably not noticeable to the casual viewer), a few sound problems (rare, but a bit annoying), dust and dirt. Watch the "Brave Little Tailor" in the scene where Mickey kills the seven flies. The amount of film debris present is alarming - it almost looks like it's snowing. Some have said that the recent remastering of Snow White has resulted in an ultra-clean presentation that takes away from the period animation. Well...this disc certainly doesn't present THAT dilemma. It's not unacceptable as the good far outweighs the bad. But I would have thought Disney to spend a bit more time on presenting the best possible versions of these pieces.
Overall:
An absolute must for the animation collector. Concerning the comments about the mastering - it's highly unlikely that Disney will remaster these shorts in another package. Grab it while it's available as this is supposedly a limited release of 150,000 copies....

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A collection of twenty-six animated shorts in color starring everyone's favorite, Mickey Mouse, released between 1935 and 1938. Introduction by Leonard Maltin. Cartoons: The Band Concert, Mickey's Garden, Mickey's Fire Brigade, Pluto's Judgement Day, On Ice, Mickey's Polo Team, Orphan's Picnic, Mickey's Grand Opera, Thru the Mirror, Mickey's Rival, Moving Day, Alpine Climbers, Mickey's Circus, Mickey's Elephant, The Worm Turns, Magician Mickey, Moose Hunters, Mickey's Amateurs, Hawaiian Holiday, Clock Cleaners, Lonesome Ghosts, Boat Builders, Mickey's Trailer, The Whalers, Mickey's Parrot, Brave Little Tailor.

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Classic Cartoon Favorites, Vol. 7 - Extreme Adventure Fun (1950) Review

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(More customer reviews)These are great cartoons, but there is nothing new to DVD here. If you have the Disney Treasures sets, you have these cartoons:
Others gave descriptions, so I will just list their original DVD release:
"No Sail" (1945) w/ Donald and Goofy - already on "The Chronological Donald volume 2".
"Two Weeks Vacation" (1952) w/ Goofy - already on "The Complete Goofy".
"Trailer Horn" (1950) w/ Donald, Chip & Dale - to be released on "The Chronological Donald volume 3" this December 11, 2007.
"Old Sequoia" (1945) w/ Donald - already on "The Chronological Donald volume 2".
"Mickey's Trailer" (1938) w/ Mickey, Donald, and Goofy - already on "Mickey Mouse in Color volume 1"
"Hello Aloha" (1952) w/ Goofy - already on "The Complete Goofy".
"Good Scouts" (1938) w/ Donald, Huey, Dewey, and louie - already on "The Chronological Donald volume 1".
"How to Ride a Horse" (1941) w/ Goofy - this is the 1950 re-release excerpt from the 1941 feature "The Reluctant Dragon" which has already been released on DVD.

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