Disney has a plan to carry on the saga of Tinker Bell, Peter Pan's beloved fairy.  They are release direct-to-video animated features each year, each with a new Tink story.  Last year saw the first of these films come to Blu-ray.  This year it is "Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure."  My hat goes off to Disney for their creations. I consider this sequel to be better than the original in most ways.  However, there is one drawback that simply holds me back from giving this film a half star rating higher than its predecessor.  My favorite character from the first film was Vidia.  She is only found in two scenes during this film, which I think takes away from some of the character dynamics.  That aside, the sequel has a more adventurous story than the original. The original film introduced us ...

  It is unquestionable that Disney has made the majority of the films that have shaped modern cinema, both in technology and storytelling.  “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is Disney’s first full-length animation feature and is truly a classic.  It makes you wonder how films become classics.  There doesn’t appear to be anything made today that will become a classic.  But then again, we have no idea what the future is going to be like.  It is just difficult to see anything today carry on like “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” has. Disney has already brought to Blu-ray classics such as “Sleeping Beauty” and “Pinocchio.”  Now, it is Snow White’s turn.  Disney’s pivotal masterpiece has been fully restored.  In 1937, Snow White became the perfect female role model.  She was sweet and kind.  She continues to be one of Disney’s ...

  "Coraline" comes from the director of "The Nightmare Before Christmas," considered to be one of Tim Burton's best.  While I was never a fan of the latter, the former is a bit more appealing.  Still, there seems to be something lacking from the film for that perfect artistic work.  While Tim Burton did not join in on "Coraline," Henry Selick returns to direct and write the screenplay for this film.  The film is based on the book of the same name by Neil Gaiman. Having never read the book I cannot attest to the truth of the film as compared with the book.  However, I have the feeling that it faithfully represents the novel.  "Coraline" is the story of a little girl, Coraline (voice by Dakota Fanning) that is taken from her home and friends and moved to a creepy apartment ...

  Pixar has had an interesting history, especially when it comes to Disney.  Originally a computer graphics company, Pixar began working in animation to make some extra money.  After some commercial success, they entered into an agreement with Disney.  It was a three-movie deal.  The first animated feature was "Toy Story" in 1995.  The second film turned out to be "A Bug's Life" in 1998. "A Bug's Life" is usually marked as the failure of the Pixar company, especially when compared with movies like "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo."  Still, it is hard to fault the film.  Its animation is flawless and the story is still engaging.  But, yes, it does lag at times.  I still wouldn't call it a failure though.  After all, it did gross $162 million at the box office, nearly four-times what was the production budget.  This doesn't ...

  There seems to be a slew of animated films of late.  With such great successes as "Madagascar 2," "Kung Fu Panda" and "Bolt," I had high hopes for "The Tale of Despereaux."  Unfortunately, it was not a big success.  Universal Studios is never thought of as an animation studio, and it doesn't look like this film is going to be their ticket into the field.The premise of the film is lousy.  It’s very reminiscent of "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning."  Due to a freak accident and an over-reaction, an entire kingdom is in turmoil.  Soup, the kingdom's most prized creation, and rats have been outlawed.  The sky grows dark, the sun will not shine and there is no rain in sight.The story gets confusing when the princess is locked in the tower of the castle and the father is in ...