Upgrading their prestigious vault to 3D, Disney releases four of their animated films featuring family fun. The popular titles Bolt, Chicken Little, G-Force and Meet The Robinsons hit the stores in 3D Blu-ray combo packs.
These latest 3D Blu-ray home entertainment films join ranks with the recent release of the Toy Story Trilogy, Cars 2, Beauty and the Beast, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and The Lion King. Other 3D releases over the past year include Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, Gnomeo & Juliet, TRON: Legacy, Tangled, Step-up 3D, Disney’s A Christmas Carol, Alice in Wonderland and Mars Needs Moms.
The comedy and adventure in all four new titles is exciting and fun to watch, especially for children. With the exception of Chicken Little, which I found on a higher adult level, the other titles tend to be a bit more directed at the juvenile crowd. As for the 3D effect all three are surprisingly very exciting with out-of-the-screen illusions and dazzling depth of field.
Probably the best of the four films Chicken Little bounced on the scene in 2006 with a hilarious telling of “The Sky is Falling” fable. Released in 3D it has a lot of things coming at you and the comedy is totally over the top. Starring Zack Braff, Garry Marshall, Don Knotts, Joan Cusack and many other recognizable voices, the film reaches three levels from tots to oldsters. The film grossed over $135 million dollars in the USA theatrically and won an ASCAP Award for top box office films.
Meet the Robinsons originally released in 2007 the story follows Lewis who goes on a quest to find his parents. Kidnapped and whisked into the future he finds a hilarious family that shows him that there is more to life, even if it doesn’t seem so. On 3D Blu-ray the magicians at Disney created an eye-popping event. The film grossed nearly $100 million theatrically in the USA.
Bolt originally released theatrically in 3D follows the adventurous wonder dog that gets separated from his owner and goes on a cross-country quest to find her. Joined by a hamster in a plastic ball a feisty cat and three hilarious pigeons, Bolt gets into one funny situation after another. Kids will love all the adventure and the crystal clear presentation. The film grossed nearly $115 million at the box office when it was released in 2008
G-Force hit the 3D screen in 2009 as a live action with animation film starring some very funny guinea pigs as an elite team of government spies. Armed with the latest is special ops equipment they go on a mission to save the world. It a very funny film with a lot of James Bond type action, but what sets it apart from the other kid friendly films is the live action that doesn’t quite hit the younger children’s target market. The film’s theatrical gross in the USA was just under $120 million.
But as far as I’m concerned it’s the youngsters who have to like a film and all four Disney toons should make them laugh and learn.
All four films have bonus features:
CHICKEN LITTLE: Comes in a 3-disc combo pack, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD and has many bonus features on both the Blu-ray disc and DVD.
Blu-ray: Filmmakers Q&A, Audio Commentary, Movie Showcase, Alien Invasion Game, Deleted Scenes, Hatching Chicken Little: the Making of the Movie, Shake A Tail Feather music video, One Little Slip sing along and more.
DVD: Where’s Fish? Trivia game, Deleted Scenes, Hatching Chicken Little: The making of the movie, Shake A Tail Feather music video, One Little Slip sing along and more.
MEET THE ROBINSONS: Comes in a 3-disc combo pack, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD with bonus features on the Blu-ray and DVD disc.
Blu-ray: Audio Commentary, Inventing the Robinsons, Deleted Scenes, Keep Moving Forward-Inventions that shaped the world, Bowler Hat Barrage! Game, Family Function 5000: Family Tree Game, Kids of the Future Showcase, and more
DVD: Audio Commentary, Inventing the Robinsons, Deleted Scenes, Keep Moving Forward-Inventions that shaped the world, Bowler Hat Barrage! Game, Family Function 5000: Family Tree Game, Kids of the Future Showcase, Little wonders and more
BOLT: Comes in a 4-disc combo pack, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Copy with bonus features on the Blu-ray and DVD discs.
Blu-ray: Super Rhino animated short, Bolt’s Be-Awesome Mission Game, In Session with John Travolta, I Thought I Lost You music video, Creating the World of Bolt, A New Breed of Directors, Deleted Scenes, Act, Speak! The voices of Bolt and more
DVD: Super Rhino animated short, In Session with John Travolta and Creating the World of Bolt.
G-FORCE: Comes in a 3-disc combo pack, 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD with bonus features on the Blu-ray only.
Blu-ray: Cine-Explore with Darwin, Blaster and their Creator, Bruckheimer Animated: A Look Back at his CG Work, Access Granted: Inside the Animation Lab, G-Force- Bloopers & Flubs, Deleted Scenes, Music Videos, Blaster’s Boot Camp and G-Force Mastermind
VIDEO SPECS:
BOLT: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray = 1080p HD/ Widescreen (1.78:1) DVD = Widescreen (1.78:1)/ Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions
CHICKEN LITTLE: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray = 1080p HD/ Widescreen (1.78:1) DVD = Widescreen (1.78:1)/ Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions
G-FORCE: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray = 1080p HD Widescreen (2.40:1)
DVD = Widescreen (2.40:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Televisions
MEET THE ROBINSONS: Blu-ray 3D = 1080p HD – Widescreen (1.85:1)
Blu-ray 2D = 1080p HD – Widescreen (1.78:1)
DVD = Widescreen (1.78:1) – Enhanced for 16×9 Television
AUDIO SPECS:
BOLT: Blu-ray 3D = English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, English 2.0 DVS, French and Spanish Dolby Digital
Blu-ray = English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD= English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
CHICKEN LITTLE: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray = English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (Blu-ray 3D); English 5.1 PCM (Blu-ray), French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
G-FORCE: Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray = English 5.1 DTS-HD MA, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
MEET THE ROBINSONS: Blu-ray 3D = English 5.1 DTS-HD Master, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
Blu-ray 2D = English 5.1 PCM, English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital
DVD = English, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound
I am a fan of animation and the 3D here transfers nicely to Blu-ray. The colors are great, clarity sharp and the format fit my HD TV just right.
I do have preferences for the films however, based on what I think young children will like best:
Chicken Little (A)
Bolt (A)
G-Force (B)
Meet The Robinsons (C )
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
