DVD Guide

Bambi II (G)

This DVD follow-up to Disney's 1942 animated masterpiece ought to be titled "The Middle Years." The story picks up immediately following the death of Bambi's mother, as his stately father leads him off into the snowy woods. Surprisingly understated and elegant, "Bambi II" is a good retort to those who think classics ought to be left alone. The film captures the quiet beauty of the original, which was actually based on oil paintings, but gives it just the right nudge into this century. The characters talk a bit more (Bambi's father, the Great Prince, voiced by Patrick Stewart, is downright chatty) and the action moves a tad faster, neither to a fault. Extras: They're minimal, but the artist interviews are particularly poignant now that Disney has shuttered its hand-drawn animation division. Grade: A-
- Gloria Goodale

Forget Joaquin and Reese: The greatest screen couple of 2005 was a cheese-loving British inventor and his stalwart dog. On the eve of the annual vegetable competition, Wallace & Gromit's Anti-Pesto service is working overtime to protect villagers' carrots and cauliflower from ravaging (and completely adorable) rabbits. Then a really big bunny comes to town. The duo's fourth adventure - up for Best Animated Feature - is a loopy joy from title sequence to end credits, and even boasts amiable voice-overs from Ralph Fiennes and Helena Bonham Carter. Extras: Get a taste of the painstaking perfectionism required in stop-motion films in several documentaries. Grade: A
- Yvonne Zipp