Scooby-Doo: Stage Fright
After more than twenty direct-to-video movies, Scooby still has what it takes to entertain and maybe even surprise, as seen in this updating of The Phantom Of The Opera that uses elements of today’s televised talent shows. |
From Up On Poppy Hill
Goro Miyazaki lives up to the family name this time, with a wonderful piece of filmmaking. This nostalgic look at Japan in the 1960s features the conflict of progressives vs. traditionalists, and a love story you haven’t seen before. |
Peter Pan: Return To Never-Land
Pan flies again in Disney’s direct-to-video turned theatrically-released sequel, breaking the curse of the DTVs but not really providing anything we haven’t seen before. |
Robotech 2-Movie Collection
For one low price, you get a pretty decent sequel to a beloved saga, plus one glorified clip show. There are great extras too, but they’ve been seen before. |
Oliver & Company: 25th Anniversary Edition
Disney does Dickens as the story of Oliver gets a new twist in a modern-day New York setting populated by celebrity-voiced canines. An HD transfer is top dog, but the (same old) extras are kitty litter. |
Robin Hood: 40th Anniversary Edition
This fast and furry-ous animal take on the Robin Hood legend is Disney at its most economical artistically, but that doesn’t hamper a good tale being told with fun characters and music; the Studio’s new disc is a winner too. |
The Sword In The Stone: 50th Anniversary Edition
Walt’s side-swiping comedy take on the King Arthur legend isn’t what you’ll be expecting, though it is a lot of fun and cooks up some great characters, even if Disney’s HD disc has its own severe problems… |
The Regular Show: The Complete First & Second Seasons
Two slackers get into bizarre mischief as they try to avoid work. Despite strange plots and characters, the show remains oddly down to earth, thanks to the light touch of its creator, who also voices the main character. |
Lilo And Stitch: 2-Movie Collection
Disney’s zero-extras policy on its June 11 titles continues here, leaving the included DVD to mop up the embarrassing lack of anything on the Blu-ray except for the feature’s pristine picture and sound. |
The High Fructose Adventures Of Annoying Orange: Season 1
The YouTube hit first came to cable, and now appears on DVD. It’s the best talking fruit show on television, but is that saying much? |
Adventure Time: The Complete First And Second Seasons
Finn The Human and Jake The Dog travel through and beyond the Land of Ooo, befriending princesses and vanquishing evildoers, in two oddly enchanting seasons of the Cartoon Network smash hit. |
Atlantis: The Lost Empire – 2 Movie Collection
Could Disney’s BD set of its epic adventure be among the last to offer decent extras? It’s the only of the Studio’s June titles to do so, also bolstered by exceptional audio and video, even if a “sequel” is predictably dire. |
The Emperor’s New Groove: 2-Movie Collection
Disney’s raucous comedy is still a laughfest, but this barren Blu-ray set only provides a decent picture upgrade: a video sequel is here but limited extras are only on DVD. |
Oz, The Great And Powerful (regular and 3D editions)
Sam Raimi’s return to Oz is more lame and disappointing, truth be told, with surprisingly bad effects only countered by Danny Elfman’s score. Disney’s two conflicting disc options offer great extras or 3D, not both. |
Who Framed Roger Rabbit: 25th Anniversary Edition
Roger is back in the limelight for a 25th anniversary revisit of the groundbreaking contemporary classic that put animation back on the map. The Disney renaissance started here, the set celebrates the film well. |
Howl’s Moving Castle
A young old woman, a bird-man, and an animated house all figure in this brilliant but confounding film from Miyazaki. It may be our most negative positive review ever. |
My Neighbor Totoro
Miyazaki’s most beloved film makes the jump to hi-def, while carrying over all the best feaures of the previous DVD. This gentle but great family film has never looked better. |
Superman Unbound
Superman has to save the Earth from the alien cyborg known as Brainiac, while learning how to cope with the two women in his life: cousin Supergirl and girlfriend Lois. |
The Hunchback Of Notre Dame: 2-Movie Collection
Proving musical Hugo doesn’t just mean Les Mis, Disney’s bold take on Gothic literature looks gorgeous here, even if an almost total lack of extras and a truly risible sequel somewhat spoil the original’s legacy. |
Mulan: 15th Anniversary 2-Movie Collection
Mulan returns in a gorgeous digital transfer that retains the beauty of the movie, and a very decent package includes a sequel and (mostly) all previous DVD extras! |
Brother Bear: 2-Movie Collection
Disney’s quality animated animal adventure and its better than average video follow-up make for a strong Blu-ray package, especially with all their previous DVD extras also included! |
Wreck-It Ralph: Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Either the most unique movie in Disney’s recent history or the one that doesn’t feel like a Disney movie at all, Ralph is entertaining even if it’s game over for the very basic extras package. |
A Liar’s Autobiography: The Untrue Story Of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman
An uneven film still makes for a visually interesting and sporadically amusing take on the life of Monty Python’s Graham Chapman. |
Monsters, Inc.: Ultimate Collector’s Edition
Pixar’s terrific entertainment returns and, a fumbled theatrical reissue aside, looks spectacular in 3D and flat versions. Disney’s package even adds more than the previous BD set, for a truly Ultimate Edition! |
Peter Pan: Diamond Edition
One of Walt’s best is again given what Hook himself might describe as a “poor show” treatment on Blu-ray, and even the one new substantial extra may not appeal to all fans; it’s the least sparkly of the Diamonds so far… |
Batman – The Dark Knight Returns: Parts 1 And 2
With Gotham City being overtaken by lawlessness, Bruce Wayne decides that it is time for Batman to come out of retirement, in the most epic Batman tale ever told. |
Tiny Toon Adventures Volume 3: Crazy Crew Rescues
The Tiny Toons are back on top form after their Vacation movie suffered less than notable treatment from Warners: this is the first of two final sets that will wrap up the show on DVD. |
Frankenweenie
Tim Burton’s latest doesn’t have the warmth and heart of his previous stop-motion outings, and Disney’s lackluster disc package doesn’t really make up for things. |
Pixar Short Films Collection: Volume 2
A second helping of Pixar’s shorts doesn’t have the wow factor of the earlier films but Disney’s package finds room for something even cooler in John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Pete Docter’s Cal-Arts student films! |
Finding Nemo: Ultimate Collector’s Edition
An earlier Pixar attempt to break away from inanimate objects and toward organic elements, Nemo remains a triumph, and although Disney’s new 3D set drops some DVD extras it also adds some new ones. |