Air Bud DVD 3-Volume Gift Set (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)I first came across the Air Bud movies channel hopping one night, and at first was a little wary of the premise - a dog that can play basketball (No1). The sequel followed, and in that the same dog ends up playing football. In the third one the dog progresses to soccer - He really is a talented dog! It really shouldn't have worked - but amazingly it does.
The dog - played by two different pooches through the movies after the first animal died after the production of Air Bud 1 - is undoubtedly the star of these films, but through the trilogy support comes in the form of Kevin Zegers as Josh Framm, the owner and friend of Buddy, the dog in question. The rest of Framm's family also feature through the trilogy, but both his mom and his little sister are played by different actors - though one hardly notices this.
The first movie (1997) is where it all begins. The current owner of Buddy, Norm Snively, a clown by profession (A Clown and a Hound), drops Buddy by the side of the road after a bad performance. A moment later Buddy sees Josh Framm and Josh sees Buddy - but it isn't until later at a deserted basketball court that the two meet again and become friends. Josh is the outsider looking for a friend, and the dog is without any to look after him. Consequently the two become, in essence, best friends. It is there that Josh discovers Buddy is an ace at basketball.
The second movie (1998) - Air Bud: Golden Receiver - is a few years later, and Josh is older now and tiring of basketball. His friend persuades him to join the football team. Josh reluctantly agrees after hearing his mothers new boyfriend, whom he does not like, talk about enjoying basketball. Naturally Buddy quickly takes to football and is on the team too. Not as sharp or as endearing as the first movie, this is still an enjoyable sequel and a great fun for fans of Buddy.
The third movie (2000) continues the story of Josh and Buddy. This time they move into the world of English soccer. Again, like with basketball and football, Buddy proves to be a natural. Kevin Zegers again appears as Josh, giving that much needed consistency and believability to the proceedings, and the young Canadian again handles himself well. The movie proves a tad disappointing, but will have children enjoying every minute nonetheless.
So forget your hockey-playing chimps, cats that sleuth, and talking parrots - Air Bud is most talented of the bunch (after all, the movie series was inspired by an actual basketball playing dog). And with such excellent support from Kevin Zegers, funny scripts and great direction, there really can be only one box set worth buying this Christmas, and that's Air Bud.
You just gotta love it!

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The Absent-Minded Professor (Full Screen Colorized) (1961) Review

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(More customer reviews)When this film was made in 1961, a material almost identical to Flubber was being developed by NASA for the Gemini Space Program. To avoid a threat to our national security, the release of "The Absent-Minded Professor" was delayed for six months until Walt Disney agreed to delete two scenes showing Fred MacMurray discussing its applications and uses. The missing scenes have been restored in magnificent color, and the movie seems to have a better flow than the theatrical version.

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Walt Disney Treasures - Mickey Mouse in Black and White (1932) Review

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(More customer reviews)Despite this being a seminal moment in DVD history having the black and white Mickey Mouse cartoons available in the best possible digital format, this Disney Treasures collection is not a complete set. As mentioned, this set will contain 34 black and white MM shorts, but they are only selections out of about 75 made between 1928-1935. Last year's "Silly Symphonies" collection was put together in a similar way with a little more than half of the 73 or so made. Rumors are that next year's DT series will include a "Mickey Mouse in Living Color Vol. 2", which means that host/compiler Leonard Maltin possibly intends to include second volumes of past and future collections in this series that don't contain everything in one set due to large amounts originally produced. When these MM black and white shorts were available on laserdisc years ago, they were also released in two volumes.
Here is a complete list of the B&W selections on this collection (year-by-year) straight from the Disney press release:
1928--"Steamboat Willie", "The Gallopin' Gaucho", "Plane Crazy" (actually the first official Mickey Mouse short--originally silent with sound added later and re-released following the success of "SW").
1929--"The Karnival Kid", "Mickey's Follies"
1930--"The Fire Fighters", "The Chain Gang", "The Gorilla Mystery", "The Pioneer Days"
1931--"The Birthday Party", "Mickey Steps Out", "Blue Rhythm", "Mickey Cuts Up", "Mickey's Orphans"
1932--"The Duck Hunt", "Mickey's Revue", "Mickey's Nightmare", "The Whoopee Party", "Touchdown Mickey", "The Klondike Kid"
1933--"Building a Building", "The Mad Doctor", "Ye Olden Days", "The Mail Pilot", "Mickey's Gala Premiere", "Puppy Love", "The Pet Store", "Giantland"
1934--"Camping Out", "Gulliver Mickey", "Orphan's Benefit", "The Dognapper", "Two-Gun Mickey"
1935--"Mickey's Service Station" (Curiously, "Mickey's Kangaroo" is not included here. This was really the last B&W Mickey cartoon done shortly after he premiered in color in "The Band Concert").
The press release has stated that, in addition to all the features mentioned above, there will also be rare footage of the only MM B&W pencil test known to exist. This pencil test was done for "The Mail Pilot." Also, new interviews were apparently done with the legendary animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston for the documentary. Much-needed audio commentary (presumably by Leonard Maltin) has also been added to the poster gallery on disc 2 that was absent from last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color."
For those not acquainted with last year's "Mickey Mouse in Living Color": that collection collects Mickey's first three years in color between 1935-1938. Next year's rumored Vol. 2 will probably complete the color Mickey, going up to his last short under Walt Disney--"The Simple Things" (1953).
More rumors for next year's DT series: "Wartime Cartoons" (originally intended for this year) and "The Chronological Donald" (obviously the first phase of the many Donald Duck cartoons produced through the 1930's-1960's).

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Witness the birth of an American icon. This historic compilation chronicles Mickey Mouse's early career, from his landmark debut in 1928's "Steamboat Willie" to the last of his black-and-white shorts, "Mickey's Service Station," in 1935. Gain insights into Mickey's beginnings in new interviews with legendary Disney animators Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. See the earliest visuals on record showing the creative birth of animation's most historically significant cartoon as well as the only black-and-white cartoon pencil footage known to exist. All of this and more is revealed in this homage to the mouse who captured the imagination of the world. Featuring exclusive introductions by film historian Leonard Maltin, this is a timeless collection from generations past for generations to come.

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