Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town/The Little Drummer Boy (1970) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I am so pleased to see these two Christmas specials packaged on one disk. What a great holiday treat.
"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" is an animagic classic. Fred Astaire pulls up the holiday express to narrate the story of young Kris Kringle (Mickey Rooney)and the children of Sombertown, and the story of how Kris became known as Santa Claus. Kris meets the evil Winter Warlock and melts his icy heart. The Burgermeister Meisterburger will not be so easy. This is a true holiday treat, and covers all of the familiar ground. Why do reindeer fly? Why does Santa climb down chimneys and leave toys in stockings? Why does he wear a beard and red clothing? How does he know if you've are sleeping, know if your awake? And what is Mrs.. Claus name, anyways? Find out in this DVD.
"The Little Drummer Boy" is based on one of my favorite holiday tunes. Aaron, the little drummer boy, is filled with hatred for all people. His parents have been murdered and his home burned to the ground. However, his gift for drumming enchants the animals and they dance about when he plays. Based on this talent, he falls in with a bad crowd when he meets Ben Haramed, the King of the Desert Showmen. How do things turn out for Aaron? Listen to the song, and watch the DVD. Bah-rump-bum-bum-bummmm.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town/The Little Drummer Boy (1970)

Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town\n This 53-minute, 1970 animated film may be the most delightful of those sundry, stop-motion animated Christmas perennials that show up on television during the holidays. The clay animation production, boasting a wonderful musical score and art direction that occasionally underscores the flower-power era in which it was born, tells the story of Santa's origins, in which Kris Kringle decides to get toys into the hands of poor children in gloomy Sombertown. Charmingly narrated by Fred Astaire and featuring voices by Mickey Rooney and Keenan Wynn, "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" presents a nice bridge between two generations of entertainment, the classic and the hip. "--Tom Keogh"\n\n "The Little Drummer Boy"\n The model animation techniques in this 1968 Rankin and Bass TV chestnut are primitive by today's standards, and picky kids may reject them out of hand. The story, however, which elaborates on the popular Christmas song about a shepherd boy who plays his drum for the baby Jesus and makes the animals dance, is a little more tough-minded than you might expect. The kid begins the story as what we'd now call a neglected child, a surly urchin who says he hates all people. He's pulled back from the brink, first by learning to make music, and then by his encounter with the Christ child. The underlying message alone--that everybody has something worth contributing--qualifies the show for holiday-perennial status. The big-name voice performers, Jose Ferrer and Greer Garson (who narrates), may be a little too ponderous for the occasion, but the familiar cartoony tones of Paul Frees (aka Boris Badenov) and June Forey (aka Rocket J. Squirrel) help liven up the proceedings. It's only 23 minutes long, so it's worth a shot for younger children. "--David Chute"

Get 11% OFF

Click here for more information about Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town/The Little Drummer Boy (1970)

Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage (2008) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Famed painter Thomas Kinkaid had this film made about a very pivotal time of his life. Kept raw as real life tends to be, it is a sad and yet very uplifting film. Topics are deep and moving. This is not meant to be a young children's film, but more a teenage and adult film. Deals with motivations, the things that shape us, those who mold our lives.
While I felt the character of Thomas was not given enough depth to fully utilize Mr. Padalecki's talents, his performance with what he was given was awesome. Several of the supporting characters did super amazing work. Despite the rough language given to Richard Burgi, it was the most amazing piece of acting I have seen from him yet -- the depths of feeling and information in his vulerable moments were totally worth it. Mr. O'Toole also gives a wondrous performnce.
If you want something to touch your heart, see how life chapes people, and just get some of that Christmas feeling flowing -- this movie is for you.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage (2008)

CHRISTMAS COTTAGE - DVD Movie

Get 15% OFF

Click here for more information about Thomas Kinkade's Christmas Cottage (2008)

Holiday Switch (2007) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Have you ever thought that your life could have been so much better if only you had taken a different turn at some point?
Paula Ferguson runs into her old boyfriend at Christmas time. He's turned out to be a wealthy art dealer, living a life of luxury. At least that's the way it seems to the hard-working Paula, struggeling with debt, housework and family issues -- just like the rest of us. She makes a wish, and ends up transported into the alternate reality of her dreams. Of course, in the end, Paula would give just about anything to get back to her real world. But, this time, the wishing doesn't work!
Holiday Switch was very cleverly done, and is a step above lots of other Christmas movies about dreams being granted.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Holiday Switch (2007)

Its a week before Christmas, and Paula (Nicole Eggert) is struggling with bills, life with her blue-collar husband Gary and her two daughters. So when Nick, her high school boyfriend, returns to town a wealthy art gallery owner, Paula begins to wonder where she would be if she had stayed with him and not Gary. When Paula makes a holiday wish to see what life would have been like had she made another choice, she is magically transported through her washer/dryer to a parallel life where she is Nicks wife. At first, this other life seems the answer to her dreams, as she shops and dines out with her newfound wealth. But she soon realizes that the grass is NOT always greener on the other side. Her relationship with Nick is in shambles, and she misses her real husband Gary and her two girls. When she sees Gary and her kids living a happy life with another woman, she wishes for just one more Christmas gift--to have back the life she didnt appreciate.

Get 20% OFF

Click here for more information about Holiday Switch (2007)