Lady And The Tramp

by Al Kessel 


Disney's Classic Love Story is BACK! 
In 1955, Disney brought us the fairy tale about the romance between two lovable dogs from opposite sides of the track. Lady, a female cocker spaniel, is an overly pampered pup (umm, kinda like our Katie! Only she's not a cocker spaniel :) ), isn't all that keen on the fact that her owners, Jim Dear and Darling, are having a baby. Though her owners do their best to assure Lady that all is right with the world, and that they have more than enough love to go around, Lady is still nervous. When the couple goes away and their Aunt Sarah arrives with her Siamese Cats (weee are Si-a-meese, if you please) to take care of the baby, these nasty felines create a huge mess in the living room. Of course, Lady gets the blame, and runs away...only to meet the scruffy nerf herder Tramp! Tramp's a freewheeling mutt with a heart of gold! Through a heartwarming series of adventures, Tramp teaches Lady about life and through it all, the two fall in love. Cue ultra-cute spaghetti eating scene NOW!

The most adorable accidental kiss ever!

Of course, there's plenty more to enjoy than that, but, well, by now you all know the drill. We only give you enough story to whet your appetite. See it for yourself to find out how it all turns out! We LOVE this movie, and know you will too! 

Lady and the Tramp is the sixth title to join the Walt Disney Signature collection, which includes groundbreaking films created or inspired by the imagination and legacy of Walt Disney, feature timeless stories and characters that have touched generations. This film takes its place alongside Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Beauty and the Beast, Pinocchio, Bambi and The Lion King. 

Bonus Features:
      BLU-RAY & DIGITAL
          Film Versions 
            - Original Theatrical Edition - Enjoy this cherished                        Disney classic that captivates audiences of all ages. 
            - Sing-Along Mode - Sing along with all your favorite songs as you watch the movie!
            - Inside Walt's Story Meetings - As you view the film, hear reenactments of Walt's story sessions with animators and see how their ideas were realized on-screen

New Signature Bonus
            - Walt & His Dogs - Through archival recordings and photos, hear the tales of the dogs Walt Disney owned and loved over his lifetime.
   - Stories from Walt's Office - Take a tour of Walt's office suite on the Studio lot, carefully re-created to look just as it did when he occupied it.
           - How to Make a Meatball and Other Fun Facts About Lady and The Tramp - Watch a delicious lesson on how to make perfect meatballs with teen chef Amber Kelley and Oh My Disney Show Host Alexys Gabrielle.


Songs
 - "Peace on Earth"
 - "What Is a Baby/La La Lu"
 - "The Siamese Cat Song"
 - "Bella Notte"
 - "He's a Tramp"

Classic Bonus Features
       - Diane Disney Miller: Remembering Dad - Walt's daughter shares memories of her father and Disneyland's early days, as well as a look at his apartment above the firehouse.
      - Never-Recorded Song - "I'm Free as the Breeze" - Take a listen to a song originally meant to be sung by Tramp.

Deleted Scenes
       - Introduction of Boris - Tramp wasn't always meant to be Lady's only suitor. Meet Boris the aristocrat and Homer the peasant in this deleted scene.
       - Waiting for Baby - Lady watches as Jim Dear plans out his new son's future in this early storyboard.
       - Dog Show - See the storyboards for this deleted scene in which Lady and Tramp unexpectedly find themselves in the middle of a dog show.

PLUS MANY MORE!! 

Disney's Lady and the Tramp Signature Collection is now available on Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital now. 

Disneynature Born In China...

by Al Kessel 

"Disney's latest Nature installment, Born In China, transports audiences to some of the world's most extreme environments of China, where few people have ever ventured, to witness wildly intimate and adorable moments in the lives of three animal families - a doting Giant Panda bear mother, a two year old snub-nosed monkey, and a mother snow leopard."

We recently had the pleasure of being asked to review this latest title in the Disneynature film series, and yes, this was one that we were REALLY hoping to review! When we first saw the previews a couple of years ago, we new that this was going to be one that really put the awwwww, in awesome Disney feature. And we weren't wrong. 

Born In China follows three families of animals found in the most remote, and breathtakingly beautiful, locales in China, and in true Disney fashion, cute, and at times heartbreaking, stories are built around them. The majestic snow leopard and her two cubs from THE most inhospitable mountains in China; an incredibly cute snub-nosed monkey family with a rather mischievous two year old male (who seems to excel at getting into trouble) from the lowland jungle, and an impossibly cute Giant Panda mother and her uber-impossibly cute cub from a mountainous jungle area that took the crew months to capture on film. Awww, Giant Panda's are SOOOOOOO CUTE!!! But has anyone ever heard of a regular sized Panda??? Why only GIANT Pandas???? Anyway...

Of course, we're not going to spoil anything here by telling you about the movie (cuz...that's how we roll), but we WILL say that out of all the Disneynature movies, this is probably our second or third favorite. Disney does such a wonderful job at capturing such lovely moments on film, then creating heartwarming stories around them that it is often easy to forget that these are in essence, wild and dangerous animals. But the point is that they present these animals in such a way that people WANT to help preserve them. 

As always, the stories built around the animals are funny, touching and at times, sad. And truth be told, I'm not sure you'd want the very young in your family to watch some of this, but even the sad scenes are designed with a purpose. To show us the REAL in reality. Life isn't always easy. But the funny and cute scenes....well, THOSE are laugh out loud fun times! (Yeah I know. I'm being pretty vague here...but again, that's how we roll!). Suffice it to say that Born In China is as fun as it is educational. 

Narrated by John Krasinski (from The Office), I will admit that at first I didn't think he could do justice to a film of this nature (get it??? A pun!). But his timing is actually very good and his voice lends a great deal of passion to the subject. Telling the stories of how animals live, die, grow apart and then come together again, Krasinski does a wonderful job of presenting the stories of these three cute and cuddly families. 

John Krasinski 

All in all, we love the Disneynature film series, and Born In China is no exception. We highly recommend this one to everyone (and maybe EVEN the littlest ones - as long as you prepare them first!)

Disneynature Born In China is now available on Blue Ray, DVD and Digital HD. 

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection

by Al Kessel 

What's better than a Disney Animated flick? TWELVE DISNEY ANIMATED FLICKS!!! Ok, well, TECHNICALLY, twelve Disney Animated Short Films, to be exact.  Today, August 18, 2015,Walt Disney Animation Studios released a collection of twelve animated shorts, in an extraordinary new collection of award winning and beloved short films. These shorts range from a continuation of the hit films Frozen and Tangled, to some original shorts, destined to be classics. 

Ok, here's the scoop: These animated shorts aren't new, with the exception of Frozen Fever, which was shown in front of the 2015 live action version of Cinderella. But that doesn't mean they're not worth watching. The great thing about this collection is that Disney has compiled several fan favorite animated shorts into one pretty great presentation. However...out of the twelve, there were a few that, although cute, well drawn and interesting, were not shorts that we would watch over and over. Ok, on with the review...

Now, if you've ever read any of our reviews, you know that we don't like to add anything that would spoil the movie for you. So, with that in mind, here we go:

Here are the twelve animated shorts, in order as they appear on the Blu-Ray, with a short (yeah, pun) synopsis and my (our) thoughts on it.

 * John Henry

    Originally released on October 30, 2000, John Henry is a musical short that celebrates the life and legend of a great African-American folk hero. As viewed through the eyes of his widow, Polly, the film explores Henry's tall tale adventures as he challenges a powerful steam drill in a climactic confrontation of man versus machine. We really did enjoy this short, even the musical numbers didn't bother me too much! The only odd thing was that in a lot of the scenes, the animation style was kind of strange, they left in some of the guide lines in the characters, like it was almost an unfinished piece. 

* Lorenzo 

   Well, THIS one was strange. Originally released on May 28, 2004, this very colorful short centers around a pompous, pampered cat named Lorenzo who teases the neighborhood felines, until he faces cat-astrophic consequences when he's hexed by a rival cat. Ok, when I say strange, I mean, kind of like someone on a drug trip strange. Really don't know how else to say it! You'll have to see this one for yourself. 

* The Little Matchgirl 

  Originally released on September 7, 2006, The Little Matchgirl is a retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen classic tale about a poor homeless young girl whose burning desire to find comfort and happiness. Very richly animated, and honestly beautifully scored with some great classical music, this one is a tad depressing. If you know the story, then you know what I mean. Although we enjoyed it for it's style, it was kind of a bummer. 

*How To Hook Up Your Home Theater 

   Originally released December 21, 2007 in front of National Treasure: Book of Secrets, this is probably one of our favorite shorts in the collection. Disney's beloved animated "everyman," Goofy, returned to the big screen for the first time in 42 years to entertain and educate viewers about the challenges of modern technology and following directions when it comes to hooking up a home entertainment system.  The enthusiastic but clueless Goofy is confronted by a huge instruction "manual," and has to deal with a gargantuan universal remote as he tries to install a new home theater in time to enjoy the big game. Voiced by the very talented Bill Farmer, Goofy once again proves his name! This is without a doubt an instant classic, as far as I'm concerned! I've always loved these Disney shorts. 

* Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa 

   Yeah, we LOVE the Prep & Landing movies!! Originally released December 7, 2010, "Prep & Landing: Operation: Secret Santa” follows the further comic adventures of Santa’s stealthiest elves, Lanny and Wayne (who debuted the previous year in the Emmy® Award-winning ABC-TV special).  With Christmas only a few short days away, Mrs. Claus (voiced by Betty White) and Magee (Sarah Chalke) enlist Wayne (Dave Foley) and Lanny (Derek Richardson) on a secret mission to retrieve a mysterious item hidden deep within the office of Santa Claus!  Can the intrepid duo acquire the target in time, or will they be discovered by the Big Guy (Morgan Sheppard) and doomed to placement on the Naughty List? How can you NOT love this?! This will be a welcome addition to our Holiday traditions. 

* Tick Tock Tale 

   Originally released on June 8, 2010, Tick Tock Tale is a Walt Disney Animation Studio's computer animated short film that transports audiences to the foggy streets of Victorian era London, when, after the shop closes, the clocks all come to life, and one discarded old clock has to save the day from a burglar!! We liked this one a lot as well. Great animation and a great story. 

* The Ballad Of Nessie 

    Originally released on July 15, 2011 in front of Winnie The Pooh. Have you ever wondered where the Loch Ness Monster came from? Well, wonder no more! Set in the 'bonny blue highlands' of Scotland, this is a cute, whimsical and very colorful (literally) tall tale about how the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie to her friends, came to be in the Loch Ness! Narrated by the wonderfully talented Billy Connolly, The Ballad Of Nessie is another short for the entire family! 

*Tangled Ever After 

   Originally released on January 13, 2012 in front of Beauty And The Beast 3D, Tangled Ever After picks up where Tangled left off, and we see Rapunzel and Flynn tying the knot...but, when Pascal and Maximus are in charge of delivering the wedding rings, well, suffice it to say, a very funny and raucous time ensues! We LOVED this animated short and are sure most will as well.  

* Paperman 

   Originally released on November 2, 2012 in front of Wreck-It-Ralph, Paperman is one that we've seen before. This one introduces a groundbreaking technique that seamlessly merges computer generated and hand drawn animation techniques. Presented in a minimalist black and white style, this short follows the story of a lonely young man in mid-century New York, whose destiny takes an unexpected turn after a chance meeting with a beautiful young woman. The animation in Paperman is truly spectacular, and, although it IS animation, it's kind of easy to get caught up in it! 

*Get A Horse! 

  Originally released on November 27, 2013 in front of Frozen, this is another one we've seen previously, BUT, will gladly watch over and over. Get A Horse !” follows Mickey, his favorite gal pal Minnie Mouse and their friends Horace Horsecollar and Clarabelle Cow as they delight in a musical hay wagon ride—until Peg-Leg Pete shows up and tries to run them off the road. With both classic black-and-white, hand-drawn animation and up-to-the-minute technical wizardry (often in the same frame), this groundbreaking short takes a sharp turn when Mickey finds himself separated from Minnie and must use every trick up his sleeve to find his way back to her. THIS is a MUST SEE! It starts off as all classic Walt Disney Mickey Mouse cartoons did, and in fact, truly looks like one. A very groundbreaking and unique short, and the coolest thing about this one? Walt Disney was the voice for Mickey Mouse!!

* Feast 

   Originally released on November 7, 2014 in front of Big Hero 6, Feast is the story of one man's love life as seen through the eyes of his best friend and dog, Winston, and revealed bite by bite through the meals they share. Ok, cute doesn't even begin to describe Feast. The animators got the actions, expressions and well, everything PERFECT on Winston that it looks and sounds so lifelike. In fact, our dog Kate got so excited when we watched Feast, she actually thought Winston was a real dog! Seriously! She jumped off the couch, ran up to the TV and started barking and wagging her tail!! An instant classic. 

* Frozen Fever 

   Originally released on March 13, 2015 in front of the live action Disney movie Cinderella, it's Anna's birthday and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever, but when Elsa catches a cold, her powers may put more than just the party at risk. This original continuation of Frozen is 100% pure cute and fun. All the original voice actors return for this short, and honestly, it may even be better than Frozen. Yes, there is a musical number through it, and yes, Elsa does sing, but not Let It Go!! And they even poke a little fun at Frozen! 

Like I said, all of these shorts have been around awhile, and odds are you've seen at least a few of them. But the cool thing is that now they're all in one easy to view collection. Without a doubt, Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection is a must have addition for any Disney fan, or, for anyone who loves a great short animated film! Two Thumbs Up from us!!!!

Each short runs at about 5-9 minutes, so it's simple to watch all at one sitting, or watch a few and continue later. 

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection is available everywhere now, on Blu-Ray and Digital HD/Disney Movies Anywhere.

To Stay or Not To Stay (Outside the Berm)...

by Joyce Kessel

Some say yes, while others say no way! It’s a matter of personal preference, but in my opinion, everyone needs to experience the magic of staying “on-property”, at least once. 

When Walt designed Disneyland, he wanted everyone to leave all their cares at the gate and enjoy family fun time.  He did everything he could to make the outside world invisible. He and the imagineers achieved this by adding the Disneyland berm.  

You may be asking, what is the Disneyland 'berm'.  Well, It’s the structures, tunnels, Main Street train platform, and the tall trees that give us the illusion that we are transported into the Happiest Place on Earth - miles away from the 'real world'. The physical things that keep the outside world from invading.

That being said, there are three hotels on Disneyland Resort property that are not technically inside the berm, but still give us the illusion that they ARE inside the most magical place on earth.  Currently, there are three resort hotels: the original Disneyland Hotel; the fun, beach-themed  Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel; and the elegant Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. Each of these hotels are unique in both price and atmosphere.  

Staying “inside the berm” is an experience that comes with many perks. Here are my top five:

• Exclusive entrance (located at Grand Californian Hotel) into Disney California Adventure for hotel guests. No need to search for a parking spot. 
• Magic Morning Monorail Entry
• Watch the Fireworks from your room
• Character Rise and Shine calls
• Cast Member interaction day and night

One of the disadvantages to staying inside the berm is cost, so we have to ask what is more important: being immersed in the 'Disney Magic' 24/7, or staying outside the berm in one of the Good Neighbor Hotel recommended by Disney, and spending more money inside the park.  

All Good Neighbor Hotels are within close proximity to Disneyland (most within walking distance) and there is sure to be one to fit any budget.  When staying off property, select one that is preferably within walking distance to the resort. If you are not familiar with the area, ask friends and family for their recommendation, check with your trusted travel expert or peer reviewed sites such as trip advisor, or listen to your favorite Disneyland podcast - Tales From The Mouse House!   If walking is not an option, Anaheim Resort Transportation (ART) is an affordable option and convenient mode of transportation. 

If you'd like to book your Disneyland Resort Vacation, why not visit someone WE trust? Visit our good friend and fellow Disney Lover Randy Crane from Mouse Ear Vacations at: randyc-mouseearvacations.com. Randy WILL get you THE best deal available! Trust him. We do!

So, To Stay Inside or Outside the Berm? We have stayed inside and outside the berm many times. My preference will always be inside. But, if staying outside the berm was the only option for our budget, I would not hesitate to experience the Disneyland Resort without the perks of the Disneyland Resort Hotels. I would not choose this option during the “off-peak” season when the Parks close early because when the hours are shorter, you obviously do not spend the majority of the time inside the Parks. 

So, what are your thoughts? Inside or Outside the Berm? Do you have a favorite hotel?  I would love to hear your thoughts. Send your thoughts to us at talespodcast@cox.net!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

by Al Kessel
Once upon a time, there was a young boy named Alexander. All Alexander wanted was good day. You see, while his brother, sister, mother and father all enjoyed wonderful, successful and awesome days, young Alexander suffered from the curse of 'grumpy, bad days', well, most days. So, one day, on his birthday in fact, he made a secret wish...for his family to truly understand how he feels...how truly bad days and just make ya', Mr. Grumpy pants! And you know what? His special, magical wish was GRANTED! Only, a little too well, for you see, Alexander's family suffered the wrath of the TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY!!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is, without a doubt, one of the best live action Disney films we've seen in a long time. Back in October, 2014, we were honored to get an advanced screening of this fun family film (try saying THAT fast three times!), and when we were asked to write a review on the Blu-Ray/DVD release, we jumped at the chance! 

Based on the best selling 1972 children's book by Judith

The Original Bad Day

Viorst (who actually wrote the book about her own son), the movie of course varies a bit in the plot, but the basic premise remains. The story follows the exploits of Alexander as he experiences THE most terrible, horrible day of his young life (you know, his rival at school is having HIS birthday party on the same day as our hero - only a much BIGGER party; his friend decides to photo-shop Alexander's head on a bikini clad super model; oh, and he almost burns down the science classroom at school, that sort of day), and

Burning It Up In Science!

begins to wonder if bad things only happen to HIM. Because, his entire family seem to be having GREAT luck! Then, in the very early moments of his birthday, he decides to treat himself to a celebration cupcake, and a wish. A very special wish that he makes while everyone else is sleeping - for his whole family to have a bad day, just like him. And the next morning he realizes that sometimes, wishes DO come true as he witnesses his dad, his mom, his big brother and sister, and even his baby brother, all have the most terrible, horrible....well, you get the picture!

Steve Carell and Friend

With an all-star cast including Steve Carell (from T.V's The Office) as Ben Cooper, Jennifer Garner (from The Odd Life Of Timothy Green) as Kelly Cooper, Dylan Minnette (from Prisoners and T.V.s Lost) as Anthony Cooper, Kerris Dorsey (from Showtime's Ray Donovan) as Emily Cooper and Bella Thorne as Celia, Anthony's love interest, and of course, Australian actor Ed Oxenbould (from Paper Planes) as Alexander Cooper, this film has everything to make for an incredibly fun adventure! And if that's not enough, a lot of Australian Outback Party fun (including a crocodile, kangaroo and 'The Thunder From Down Under')! 

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is certainly a movie for the entire family. Disney's heartwarming comedy will have your entire family laughing out loud, repeatedly! 

Bonus Features Include:

(Digital HD, Disney Movies Anywhere, Blu-Ray)

• Alexander...In Real Life
• Snappy Crocs & Punch Roos: The Australian Outback Party
• Walkabout: A Video Diary
• And the Delightful, Magnificent, Very Good Bloopers
• 'Hurricane' by the Vamps - Music Video

(DVD)

• Snappy Crocs & Punch Roos: The Australian Outback Party
• 'Hurricane' by the Vamps - Music Video

Rated PG for some minor violence and situations, running time approximately 81 minutes. 

We HIGHLY recommend seeing Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day as soon as you can. In typical Disney fashion, this film really is a 'feel good movie' that you can share with everyone. On our scale of 1-5 Mickey's, we give Alexander a 5! Yep, it's THAT good. Really. It is. 

Jake and the Neverland Pirates - Battle For The BOOK!!

by Joyce Kessel 

Jake the Neverland Pirates: Battle for the Book!!!  sailed into store for home viewing on January 6, 2015 


We received a review copy in exchange for a DVD  review and as with other Disney Junior Jake and the Never Pirates stories, Battle for the Book was entertaining and the 141 minute running time would keep the attention of kids of all ages, and the kids at heart.    My favorite part of the story was Wendy and the songs she sang.  

This value-packed DVD includes the Battle for the Book! adventure plus 4 additional episodes, over two hours of fun! Plus FREE inside every DVD is an exclusive checker board bandana with gold coins, you can’t get anywhere else! 


Synopsis: When Wendy’s special Storybook is stolen by Captain Hook, Jake and his mates go to London to help Peter Pan’s friend (from the classic movie Peter Pan). The longer the book is out of Wendy’s hands, the more she and her brothers (John and Michael) forget about their past adventures on Never Land. The battle for the book continues in Never Land, where Hook plans to destroy the book and its stories in the legendary Ring of Blue Fire. It’s up to our young heroes to save Wendy’s Storybook and the Story of Peter Pan!

Voice Talents are:  Sean Ryan Fox (Life Tracker, East of Kensington) as Jake, Madison Pettis (Cory in the House, Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 and 3, The Game Plan) as Izzy, Jadon Sand (Frozen, Wreck it Ralph) as Cubby, David Arquette (Scream movies) as Skully, and Corey Burton (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) as Captain Hook Executive Producer: Rob LaDuca Producer: Mark Seidenberg Director: Howy Parkins 

Pick up your copy today and set sail on a adventure you and your little pirates are sure to enjoy!!!

Disney Saving Mr. Banks...The Blu-Ray Review

by Al Kessel


By now, most of you probably know our thoughts on the Disney motion picture, Saving Mr. Banks. We LOVED it. We treated ourselves to an outing to see it at the theatre, and wrote a short review then and expressed our views. But recently, we were surprised to receive a review copy of the Blu-Ray/Digital HD version of this wonderful film, and our thoughts did change a bit. Now we TOTALLY love Saving Mr. Banks! 

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney

Ok, before you go saying "Uh-oh, they drank the Disney Kool-Aid", let me explain a few things to you. I love Disneyland. I do. I'm not ashamed to admit that, and say it proudly! And I love the Walt Disney, because of what he did for the world. No matter what a person may think of the Disney company, or of Walt himself, you have to admit that he IS responsible for so many wonderful things in our world. He reinvented entertainment, and, through his films and theme parks, reintroduced so many people to happiness and their inner-child. Saving Mr. Banks is the story of one particular project that he fought long and hard to bring to the world, called Mary Poppins. 

Walt, The Sherman Brothers and Don DaGrati

I'm not going to get into all the pros/cons of this film, but suffice it to say that a LOT of people vehemently dislike Saving Mr. Banks and accuse it of so many negative things, as well as being totally historically incorrect. Well, I wasn't there. I don't know exactly what went down during the period this film depicts. Disney may have taken some liberties with certain aspects, but you know what? No where did they claim this was a documentary. Right? Unlike many docudramas like Lincoln for example, who without any doubt at all took HUGE artistic liberties. But I don't recall anyone crying foul on that! Anyway, I digress...

Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers

Saving Mr. Banks brings to live the untold story about the origins of one of the most treasured Disney classics of all time - Mary Poppins. Millions love and adore Mary Poppins, but few knew the almost impossible task it was to bring this film to the big screen. It took Walt twenty years to convince author P.L. Travers to allow him the rights to her beloved Mary Poppins (NEVER just Mary!), and Saving Mr. Banks shows us how Walt was able to fulfill a twenty year old promise to his daughters. Through flashbacks, we learn a great deal about P.L. and her childhood, her relationship with her adoring father, and how she found inspiration for her most treasured, and popular, character. 

Walt introduces P.L. to Disneyland

Strolling Down Main Street, U.S.A.

P.L. on Jingles...Joyce's Favorite as well!

Tom Hanks brings an incredible believability to his portrayal of Walt Disney. Although Tom looks nothing like Walt, through his vocal inflections and body language, you actually find yourself believing he IS Walt. Although until this film I was unfamiliar with P.L. Travers as a person, I have since watched video and heard the real Travers on audio, and I must say, in my opinion, Emma Thompson did a WONDERFUL job portraying the uncompromising and stubborn author of Mary Poppins. Featuring a stellar supporting cast that includes Colin Farrell as Travers Goff, Paul Giamatti as Ralph (P.L.'s driver), Jason Schwartzman as Richard M. Sherman, B.J. Novak (from T.V.'s The Office) as Robert Sherman, Bradley Whitford as Don DaGradi and many more, Saving Mr. Banks is without a doubt an incredible, heartwarming and uplifting movie true to the Disney name. 

Colin Farrell as Travers Goff

Just a side note here: Paul Giamatti's character Ralph is a completely fictitious invention of Disney. Although many may say this is just another example of Disney altering facts to their favor, I see it in a different way. In order for the storytellers to portray P.L. Travers backstory, it was necessary to introduce a 'vehicle' of sorts. I'm certain 'Ralph' is an amalgam of many characters, but it was just simpler to portray them as one person. I personally feel his character worked very well!

Paul Giamotti as 'Ralph'

Saving Mr. Banks is now available on Blu-Ray, Digital Copy, DVD now and includes the following:

• The Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins to Present (Blu-Ray & Digital HD) Join Director John Lee Hancock on a tour of the Disney Studios lot, reflect on studio life during the making of Mary Poppins, and discover how Walt’s creative spirit still flourishes today.
• Let's Go Fly A Kite: (Blu-Ray & Digital HD) - Cast and crew sing break out in a rousing, heartfelt tribute to Composer Richard Sherman on the last day of filming.
• Deleted Scenes:
• Stargaze (Blu-Ray & Digital HD) - A picture on Walt's desk leads to a flashback of Pamela's childhood
• Nanny Song (Blu-ray, DVD, & Digital HD) – The Sherman Brothers perform a song for Pamela that she is less than thrilled with.
• Pam Leaves (Blu-Ray & Digital HD) - After yet another disagreement with Walt, Pamela leaves his office and heads for the airport

All of the bonus material is terrific. The Walt Disney Studios special, however, is our favorite. This exclusive and wonderful behind the camera look at the Walt Disney Studios is, in my opinion, well worth the purchase of Saving Mr. Banks. 

The 'Real' Mary Poppins?

At just over two hours, Saving Mr. Banks is certainly a great family movie that's not too long, not too short, but "practically perfect"! A MUST HAVE for anyone who loves Mary Poppins, Walt Disney, or Disneyland (when Walt takes P.L. to Disneyland....well, I was just in heaven!). But of course, that's just OUR opinion! - Al 

Disney Frozen...a Review

 by Al Kessel


You know the story...You've got a brother, or a sister, and you're the best of friends. You do EVERYTHING together, you play, you build snowmen, you sing, you dance. Then, something tragic happens and you drift apart. You realize your powers to control winter are just to darned strong and getting stronger every day. So, your parents decide to hide you away from the world - even your best friend/sibling - until you can control it. It happens to just about everyone when we're young...well, except for the power over the whole winter thing...

In Disney's latest animated motion picture, that is exactly what happens to our heroines. As children, Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell) and Elsa (voiced by the wickedly talented Adel Dazeem...err, I mean Idina Menzel) are the best of friends. Anna, being the younger sister, idolizes her big sis Elsa and Elsa just adores Anna. They love playing games, especially games that include Elsa using her secret blizzardy-wintery-snow-and-ice-making powers! Elsa loves to cover the room in ice so Anna can slide around. Loves building their favorite snowman Olaf for Anna. A perfect life. Until a tragic accident that Elsa causes nearly kills her little sis. An accident that causes her parents to keep Elsa protected from herself (and, I'd posit, everyone safe from Elsa), until they can figure out how to control those powers. Of course, years, and years pass by and the distance between Elsa and Anna grows, much to young Anna's dismay. 

Anna, Olaf and Kristoff

And in true epic fashion, one day, their parents (King and Queen of Arendell) perish at sea, leaving the young girls to be raised by the castle staff! Anyway, the day finally arrives, and Elsa comes of age and is crowned the new Queen. Of course, she's still wary of coming in contact with people and keeps to herself during the coronation ceremony. Anna, quite the opposite of her introverted sister, meets a young prince, decides she wants to marry him and begs her sister for approval. Elsa disapproves, gets in to an argument with Anna (who accidentally removes Elsa's glove), and in the heat of anger, Elsa unleashes her powers with a vengeance! And as she runs away into the wilderness, all of Arendell is turned into the a brutal winter wonderland. 

To prove her sister isn't the monster the villagers fear she is, Anna sets out, with the help of ice delivery dude Kristoff, to find Elsa, have her return summer and live happily ever after and, or, as Elsa would say "Let It Go".

Elsa Blasting Some Chill

Of course, there's a LOT more to this movie than what I skimmed over here, but if you're a regular reader of our blog, you know we don't like to give too much away. So, if you want more detail, you'll need to see the movie yourself. And, if you've already seen Frozen...well, then you don't need ME to explain it, now DO you?! :)

Disney Frozen IS a cute movie. Joyce and I didn't get to see it in the theatre when it was first released, so this screening was our first viewing. Now...over the many months since Frozen had been released, there's been a lot of hype concerning it, especially the main song, 'Let It Go'. Which, by the way, we've heard MANYMANYMANYMANYMANY times over the last few months! And, Mr. Travolta didn't help THAT any, now did he! Anyway, when we popped the Blu-Ray in, we were a bit concerned that Frozen wasn't going to live up to all the incredible hype and awesome recommendations by everyone. And...I'm sorry to say, it didn't. Now, before you leave the blog and banish us to the frozen wilderness for all of eternity, hear me out. I didn't say it was a bad movie - no, FAR from it. We LOVED it. The animation was, for lack of a better word, spectacular. Disney has pretty much perfected animation. Character movements were incredibly realistic. The scenery, all the way down to the finest of details were unbelievable. The story was great (based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Snow Queen), and the voice acting was terrific. We LOVED Olaf (voiced by Josh Gad). But...at least in the beginning, there is WAY too many musical numbers. As you probably know, I'm not much for musicals. I just don't really love them. But in most Disney musical movies, the songs don't outweigh the non-musical scenes, so I actually don't mind them. But, in Disney Frozen, especially in the first half of the movie, every few minutes there's another musical number, and I personally feel they don't all serve the story well. But, that's just me. Now, I mentioned earlier that for us, Frozen didn't live up to all the hype. I remember many people who saw it in the theatre post on social media that it was the BEST Disney animated movie ever. Ah...well...I disagree. Perhaps technically (animation/production) it is, but I'd have to toss out movies like The Lion King, Bambi, The Jungle Book, just to name a few that I feel are a little better. However, Disney Frozen is DEFINITELY a new classic. 

Olaf, Always Looking At The Bright Side

All of the voice cast were spot on in Frozen. Kristen Bell was perfect as Anna. Idina Menzel (whom I've never heard of before) was terrific as Elsa. But, my all time favorite character in Frozen is of course, Olaf, as voiced by the very funny Josh Gad. Although Olaf isn't given a great deal of screen time, I felt his character brought a lot of heart to Frozen. His simple, yet deep meaning way kind of epitomizes the Disney Spirit for me. He's always looking on the bright side of things, always willing to lend others a hand (literally) and always the voice of positiveness. 

All in all, Disney Frozen is another great and epic Disney animated adventure. It is definitely a must see for the entire family. It has many things for children and adults to admire. Disney Frozen will be released on March 18th, 2014 in the following:

• Two-Disc Blu-Ray Combo Pack (Blu-Ray+DVD+Digital Copy) MSRP $29.99
• One-Disc DVD MSRP $15.99

Bonus Features Include:

• The Making Of Frozen (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• D'Frosted: Disney's Journey From Hans Christian Andersen to Frozen (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• Breaking The Ice: The Real Making Of Frozen (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• 4 Deleted Scenes (Blu-Ray, Digital)
• Original Theatrical Short - "Get A Horse" (Blu-Ray, Digital, DVD)
• "Let It Go" Music Videos by Demi Lovato, Martina Stoessel and Marsha Milan Londoh (Blu-Ray, Digital, DVD)
• Frozen Teaser Trailer (Blu-Ray, Digital, DVD)

Now, just a few thoughts about the bonus feature "Get A Horse". Usually, we don't review the bonus features, but we thought this one deserved a mention. THIS cartoon short makes the purchase of your very own copy of Frozen well worth it. If you don't want to be spoiled on this part...stop reading now and skip down................."Get a Horse" starts out just as one of Walt Disney's original shorts used to. In fact, the animation, the music, the look and feel of this short looks exactly as if Walt himself had created it. It stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pete and all of Mickey's friends. Of course, Pete is causing all sorts of trouble and is trying to kidnap Minnie. Well, things happen and...Mickey is thrown out of the original cartoon and into the color world of 3D animation! I won't give more away, but this short is a wonderful blending of old school animation and new school 3D animation. And it is SEAMLESS! Trust me, you're going to LOVE this short, so don't skip over it.

So, we recommend that you add Disney Frozen to your Disney collection, but, if you haven't seen it yet, and have read all the build up on it, just be aware that it may not live up to EVERYONE'S accolades. But...it IS a great movie! Enjoy - Al