Sales Rank:199 List Price: $12.95 Lowest New Price: $6.99 Lowest Used Price: $6.89 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
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Potty training can be fun! Create a positive potty time experience for your child with Elmo, Baby Bear, Grover, and other Sesame Street friends with ELMO"S POTTY TIME! This amusing and song-filled DVD teaches children that everyone- mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, and even monsters- has to learn how to use the potty. Your child will learn that accidents are okay and that it takes time and practice before he can use the potty on his own. So dance, sing, and laugh as you and your child learn confidence-building skilled and helpful healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
Sales Rank:502 List Price: $14.94 Lowest New Price: $7.49 Lowest Used Price: $4.99 MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Format:
AC-3
Closed-captioned
Color
Dolby
DTS Surround Sound
Dubbed
Full Screen
Special Edition
Subtitled
NTSC
Director(s):
Actor(s):
Aileen Quinn
Albert Finney
Carol Burnett
Ann Reinking
Tim Curry
Charmless and dull, this adaptation of the Broadway hit stars Aileen Quinn as the depression-era moppet, Albert Finney as Daddy Warbucks, Carol Burnett as the cruel headmistress at an orphanage, and Tim Curry as a villain. The film never gets its legs, and there is no sense of setting; it's almost as if the whole thing is happening in a void. John Huston nominally directed--no doubt to make money between his smaller, cheaper masterpieces--but one would have thought he would invest something of himself in here. --Tom Keogh
(1. Hare Trigger, 2. To Duck or Not to Duck, 3. Birth of a Notion, 4. My Little Duckaroo, 5. Crowing Pains, 6. Raw! Raw! Rooster! 7. Heaven Scent, 8. My Favorite Duck, 9. Jumpin' Jupiter, 10. Satan's Waitin', 11. Hook Line and Stinker, 12. Bear Feat, 13. Dog Gone South, 14. A Ham in a Role, 15. Often an Orphan, 16. Herr Meets Hare, 17. Russian Rhapsody, 18. Daffy the Commando, 19. Bosko the Doughboy, 20. Rookie Revue, 21. The Draft Horse, 22. Wacky Blackout, 23. The Ducktators, 24. The Weakly Reporter, 25. Fifth Column Mouse, 26. Meet John Doughboy, 27. Hollywood Canine Canteen, 28. By Word of Mouse, 29. Heir Conditioned, 30. Yankee Dood It, 31. Congo Jazz, 32. Smile Dam Ya, Smile! 33. The Booze Hangs High, 34. One More Time, 35. Bosko's Picture Show, 36. You Don't Know What You're Doin'! 37. We're in the Money! 38. Ride 'em Bosko, 39. Shuffle Off to Buffalo, 40. Bosko in Person, 41. The Dish Ran Away with the Spoon, 42. Buddie's Day Out, 43. Buddie's Beer Garden. 44. Buddie's Circus, 45. A Cartoonist's Nightmare, 46. Horton Hatches the Egg, 47. Lights Fantastic, 48. Fresh Airedale, 49. Chow Hound, 50. The Oily American, 51. It's Hummer Time, 52. Rocket Bye Baby, 53. Goo Goo Goliath, 54. Wild Wife, 55. Much Ado About Nutting, 56. The Hole idea, 57. Now Hear This, 58. Martian Through Georgia, 59. Page Miss Glory. 60. Norman Normal)
Sales Rank:1586 List Price: $9.98 Lowest New Price: $3.72 Lowest Used Price: $3.83 MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
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Celebrate the 12 days of Christmas with Caillou and his family. Caillou receives a special advent calendar from his parents to count down the days until Christmas, and each night Caillou and his parents open a flap to discover a new picture of a holiday celebration somewhere in the world. As the family talks about different Christmas traditions, Caillou learns that a young boy in Germany started the tradition of the Christmas tree, that English school children made the first Christmas cards, and that Christmas stockings (and shoes) figure prominently in holiday celebrations in France and Hungary. He also learns about Hanukkah and the lighting of the Menorah from his friend Leo. As Caillou and his family enjoy their own holiday traditions, they discover the universal importance of giving and sharing. Music, including eight original songs, abounds in this 73-minute program. Unlike more typical Caillou episodes, there are no animated segments focusing on the interactions between Teddy, Rexi, and Gilbert in this presentation nor does Caillou find much to whine about in this festive season. DVD extras include an interview with Caillou, a holiday sing-along, and six challenges. (Ages 2 to 6) --Tami Horiuchi
Sales Rank:2034 List Price: $14.98 Lowest New Price: $6.99 Lowest Used Price: $4.96 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Format:
Closed-captioned
Color
DVD-Video
Subtitled
NTSC
Director(s):
Arthur Rankin Jr.
Jules Bass
Actor(s):
Patricia Bright
Scott Firestone
George Gobel
Joel Grey
Tammy Grimes
Frosty's Winter Wonderland It's no secret that sequels to classic TV specials rarely stack up--they're usually guilty of getting too fancy with characters and story lines, causing irritating fissures to form in our perceptions of the originals. Lucky for a new generation of holiday viewers, that's not the case with Frosty's Winter Wonderland. In fact, lining up a Frosty double feature at home in which the original is directly followed by the new title is a fully cringe-free proposition, thanks mostly to the down-homey, pleasant narration of Andy Griffith and the near-perfect portrayal of the Frosty we all know and love by Jackie Vernon. The Wonderland dialogue doesn't trouble itself with tiresome throwbacks, and even the plot isn't overly ambitious: Frosty, lonely at the North Pole, is bent on keeping his famous promise to the kids that he'll be back again someday, so when the news of a snowstorm in their town reaches him, he waddles off. But once the belly-whopping's run its course, he's lonely again. The children, hoping to salvage Frosty's stay with them, hit upon a solution: they'll build Frosty a wife. Crystal fits every snowman's fantasy of a dream bride, but will jealous Jack Frost sabotage their wintry wedding? For all classic Christmas special fans who harbor hopes that the fun can continue, it's worth finding out. Kids 2 and older will love the songs and the still-intact dribbles of silliness. --Tammy La Gorce
Twas the Night Before Christmas Animators of all things Christmas, Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass (Frosty the Snowman) take on the famous poem by Clement Moore. Narrated by Joel Grey, the story opens on the night before Christmas, but the reading of the poem must be stopped when two creatures in the house begin to stir: family men Mr. Trundle and Father Mouse. Their restlessness stems from the fact that Santa is angry at the residents of Junctionville, returning all their letters without even opening them. The reason? Somebody wrote a letter to the editor of the paper saying that he doesn't exist. In an attempt to fix the situation, Mr. Trundle, a clockmaker, comes up with a plan to lure Santa into town with a clock that will sing an enchanting song at midnight. When the clock doesn't work on its first test, the townsfolk lose all faith in him. Turns out the cause of all the trouble is Albert, a book-smart young mouse who thinks he knows the truth about Santa Claus. There are a few good songs in the 23-minute program, whose the moral is: don't believe the kids on the playground if they say that Santa doesn't exist. --Andy Spletzer
Sales Rank:705 List Price: $19.99 Lowest New Price: $9.99 Lowest Used Price: $4.77 MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
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Actor(s):
Michelle Pfeiffer
Robert De Niro
Claire Danes
Stardust settles over the viewer like a twinkly cloak. The film, which captures the magic and vision of author Neil Gaiman's fantasy graphic fable, is a transportive journey into a world of true enchantment, which fans of the Harry Potter books will enjoy as well as will adults looking for the perfect date movie. The tale is a not-so-simple love story and adventure, set in 19th century England--and an alternate universe of witches, spells and stars that turn human--and hold the key to eternal life.
Young Tristan (played with wide-eyed vigor by Charlie Cox) vows to retrieve a fallen star for the most beautiful girl in the village, the shallow Victoria (Sienna Miller), and in his quest, finds his true love--in a true "meet-cute" moment (by Babylon-candle-speeding into the just-crashed human incarnation of the star, Claire Danes). Much of the film involves the duo's journey back home--though home for Tristan is his village, and home for the celestial Yvaine is, of course, in the heavens. There are villains, notably Michelle Pfeiffer as the vain witch who seeks the fountain of youth a fallen star can give, and the seven venal sons of the dying king of the mythical realm, backstabbing, grasping, and hilarious--even in death as a ghostly Greek chorus.
While the sparks of love between Tristan and Yvaine are resonant and touching, Stardust truly succeeds as a brilliant fantasy yarn--and as a comedy with more than its share of belly laughs. Much of the humor belongs to Robert De Niro, who plays a notoriously wicked air pirate, who is secretly a bit light in his swashbucklers. Ricky Gervais has a small but memorable role essentially channeling his character from Extras, including his catchphrase, "Are you having a laugh?!" The special effects are all that any fan of Gaiman would wish for. Catch a bit of Stardust and you'll feel enchanted for a good long while. --A.T. Hurley
Sales Rank:1118 List Price: $14.98 Lowest New Price: $6.65 Lowest Used Price: $6.74 MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Format:
Black & White
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Director(s):
Actor(s):
James Stewart
Josephine Hull
Peggy Dow
Charles Drake
Cecil Kellaway
It's always a small surprise to revisit this movie and realize what a subtly dark performance James Stewart gives as an alcoholic who claims he keeps company with a six-foot-tall, invisible rabbit. As Elwood P. Dowd, the actor emits a faint whiff of decay and spirits, yet Stewart also embraces Dowd's romanticism and grace with splendid ease. Based on a hit play and directed by Henry Koster, the film is terribly funny at times, especially whenever Elwood decides it's only polite to introduce Harvey to complete strangers. The supporting cast can't be beat. --Tom Keogh
Sales Rank:816 List Price: $29.99 Lowest New Price: $21.06 Lowest Used Price: $21.24 MPAA Rating: G (General Audience)
Format:
Animated
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THX
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Director(s):
Actor(s):
Hitoshi Takagi
Noriko Hidaka
Chika Sakamoto
Shigesato Itoi
Sumi Shimamoto
My Neighbor Totoro is that rare delight, a family film that appeals to children and adults alike. While their mother is in the hospital, 10-year-old Satsuki and 4-year-old Mei move into an old-fashioned house in the country with their professor father. At the foot of an enormous camphor tree, Mei discovers the nest of King Totoro, a giant forest spirit who resembles an enormous bunny rabbit. Mei and Satsuki learn that Totoro makes the trees grow, and when he flies over the countryside or roars in his thunderous voice, the winds blow. Totoro becomes the protector of the two sisters, watching over them when they wait for their father, and carrying them over the forests on an enchanted journey. When the children worry about their mother, Totoro sends them to visit her via a Catbus, a magical, multilegged creature with a grin the Cheshire Cat might envy.
Unlike many cartoon children, Satsuki and Mei are neither smart-alecky nor cloyingly saccharine. They are credible kids: bright, energetic, silly, helpful, and occasionally impatient. Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki makes the viewer believe the two sisters love each other in a way no American feature has ever achieved. My Neighbor Totoro is enormously popular in Japan, and some of the character merchandise has begun to appear in America. The film has also inspired a Japanese environmental group to buy a Totoro Forest preserve in the Saitama Prefecture, where Miyazaki's film is set. --Charles Solomon