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The Lion King (A Walt Disney Masterpiece)
: essential video:Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the 'circle of life' with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes ...
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A Charlie Brown Christmas
: :This television classic features the Peanuts characters in the story of Charlie Brown's problematic efforts to mount a school Christmas pageant. Everybody's on board: Lucy, Snoopy, Schroeder, Pig-Pen, but the biggest impression is surely made by Linus, who stops the show with his recitation from the gospels of the story of Christ's birth. --Tom Keogh
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The Muppet Christmas Carol
:Description:Charles Dickens' classic holiday story sparkles with humor and whimsy in the hands of the always hilarious Muppets! Michael Caine stars as penny-pinching Ebenezer Scrooge in a performance that's anything but 'bah humbug!' Alone on Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by ghosts who transport him to his past, present, and future -- and it's not a pretty sight! But along the way he comes upon poor, kind, humble Bob Cratchit (Kermit the Frog) and his family, including Tiny Tim who teaches Scrooge the true meaning of Christmas. Complete with original music and dazzling ...
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Schoolhouse Rock! - Multiplication Rock
:Description:SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK takes children on a fantastic scholastic learning adventure. The same great songs you knew and loved as a kid are now available to a whole new generation. Each volume in this special collection features exclusive bonus programming of some of today's hottest rock stars singing their favorite SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK! song. Learning multiplication tables is easy when you sing along with MULTIPLICATION ROCK. Songs include 'My Hero, Zero'; 'Elementary, My Dear' (multiplying by 2); 'Three Is A Magic Number'; 'The Four-Legged Zoo'; 'Ready Or Not, Here I Come' (multiplying by 5); 'I ...
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Muppet Family Christmas
: :A warm Yuletide special, A Muppet Family Christmas pairs the Muppet gang with the perennial favorite Sesame Street cast for a holiday celebration. With a blizzard brewing outside, Fozzie's childhood farmhouse on Christmas Eve becomes the backdrop for a medley of holiday tunes--eight in all--ranging from the Muppet band's rousing 'Jingle Bell Rock' to Big Bird's sweet rendition of 'The Christmas Song.' Though the script meanders in part, the 42-minute program shines as a musical revue, seasoned with quick-witted interludes by the culinary comedic Swedish Chef, slapstick odd couple Ernie and Bert, and ...
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Aladdin (A Walt Disney Classic)
: essential video:Disney's 1992 animated feature is a triumph of wit and skill. The high-tech artwork and graphics look great, the characters are strong, the familiar story is nicely augmented with an interesting villain (Jafar, voiced by Jonathan Freeman), and there's an incredible hook atop the whole thing: Robin Williams's frantically hilarious vocal performance as Aladdin's genie. Even if one isn't particularly moved by the love story between the title character (Scott Weinger) and his girlfriend Jasmine (Linda Larkin), you can easily get lost in Williams's improvisational energy and the equally entertaining performances ...
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Schoolhouse Rock! - Grammar Rock
: :There are two types of Schoolhouse Rock fans. Type A: those who--inspired in the '70s and '80s by 'Conjunction Junction' and 'Interjections!'--went on to become grammar gurus, copyeditors, and computational linguists. And type B: those who--less inspired by grammar than by catchy refrains--can still sing lines that today sound less than P.C.: Though Geraldine played hard to get (uh huh), Geraldo knew he'd woo her yet. He showed his affection, Despite her objection, And Geraldine hollered some interjections! (Geraldo, if you'll recall, is a goat.) No matter. Both kinds of fans will enjoy ...
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Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation
: :There are two types of Schoolhouse Rock fans. Type A: those who--inspired in the '70s and '80s by 'Conjunction Junction' and 'Interjections!'--went on to become grammar gurus, copyeditors, and computational linguists. And type B: those who--less inspired by grammar than by catchy refrains--can still sing lines that today sound less than P.C.: Though Geraldine played hard to get (uh huh), Geraldo knew he'd woo her yet. He showed his affection, Despite her objection, And Geraldine hollered some interjections! (Geraldo, if you'll recall, is a goat.) No matter. Both kinds of fans will enjoy ...
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Peanuts: A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
: :This sweet, heartwarming 1973 offering from the Peanuts gang (and Charles Schulz) once again shows Charlie Brown in a pickle, as his erstwhile friends impose upon the hapless would-be-host to provide a memorable and traditional Thanksgiving feast. And as much as Charlie Brown would rather forget the whole thing, he just can't help but try for fear of being labeled a failure. Ultimately it's up to Snoopy and Woodstock to save Charlie from certain embarrassment, and it falls to Linus to impart to all assembled the true meaning of Thanksgiving. This very special ...
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The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
: :Another made-for-video sequel to a Disney masterpiece. As with the Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas sequels, most of the recognizable 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 ...
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