DVD Corner

Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection Blu-ray Review

“Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection” is fun for the whole family.

Having previously released the excellent Pixar shorts collections, Disney has released a brand new shorts centric Blu-ray release dubbed “Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection.” The disc contains a total of 12 modern shorts. Which ones, you ask? Read on to get a breakdown of each one.

“Feast”- Previously attached with “Big Hero 6,” this Academy Award winning short is a profoundly sweet story told from the POV of a dog.

“Frozen Fever”- The centerpiece of this set is undoubtedly the hotly anticipated “Frozen Fever” short (which is highlighted on the cover). We all know that since “Frozen” was a monster global hit that it was only a matter of time before we get to see more of these beloved characters.  With “Frozen Fever,” we get to see everyone again in a story involving Anna’s birthday party and Elsa having a cold. It should come as no surprise that it’s charming from start to finish and that the new song is yet another winner.

“Paperman”- A beautiful B&W love story about a man, a woman, and paper. Fully deserving of its Academy Award victory.

“Get A Horse!”- An exceedingly smart Mickey Mouse short. It’s best to experience this knowing as little as possible.

“John Henry”- A stylistic and deeply inspiring story about a determined, brave, and strong hammer wielding freed slave who helped build a railroad and heroically sacrificed himself.

“Lorenzo”- A silent, surreal and colorful short about a spoiled cat (Lorenzo) with tail problems. While visually appealing, this doesn’t really feel like a Disney short.

“The Little Matchgirl”- A haunting short about a lonely young poor girl who can’t sell matches during a blisteringly cold winter. There’s more to the story than that, but I’m not spoiling it. Suffice to say, it’s a real tearjerker.

“How To Hook Up Your Home Theater”- Goofy shops for a home theater system in this funny observational spoof about home entertainment.

“Tick Tock Tale”- A sweet tale of an outsider clock who becomes a hero to other clocks at a clock store.

“Prep and Landing: Operation: Secret Santa”- Everyone’s favorite elves (Wayne and Lanny) are back for a new short in which Mrs. Claus recruits them to retrieve a wooden box from Santa. Just as fun as the TV specials.

“The Ballad of Nessie”- A cutesy toon in which a kind hearted creature named Nessie (who is not depicted as a monster here) searches for a new home. The narration by Billy Connolly is perfection.

“Tangled Ever After”- If you loved “Tangled,” you’ll likely be happy to see this short involving Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding. Personally, I didn’t care for “Tangled” so this wasn’t my cup of tea. Easily the weakest short of this set.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: Widescreen 1080p. How does it look? Each and every short looks stunning on Blu-ray. Disney never disappoints when it comes to their new Blu-ray releases.

Audio Track: 5.1 DTS-HD MA. How does it sound? The music, dialogue, and narration from the various shorts all sound crystal clear.

Extras:
* Disney trailers.
* DVD copy and Digital HD copy.
* Optional intros to each short by the filmmakers.
* “@DisneyAnimation: The Short Story About Shorts”- Actor/comedian T.J. Miller (whom you may know for voicing Fred in “Big Hero 6”) chats with 4 directors and a producer about animated shorts.

August 14, 2015 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Feast, Frozen Fever, Paperman, Prep and Landing, Tangled Ever After, Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection Blu-ray Review