Brilliant band. So much fun to go see. "Up, up, up" was one of my favorite songs in the '80's - rivaled any major label tune. Really brilliant. Much better than Ball & Pivot :-) who got lots of air time on channel 66 with David O'Leary - remember that!?

Although both animations are lovely, 'The Snowman' is the real masterpiece of the two. The Briggs book is brought to life, and the story is actually enhanced by the lack of narration.

Having loved this video since I was young, I wanted to introduce it to my young son (he's 5). I had a suspicion that, as fast-paced as today's shows and games are, he would find this dull. I was pleasantly surprised that the story won out, and that he was into it from beginning to end. (I also recommend the 'Kipper' series of videos for this calm but engaging style of storytelling.)

'Father Christmas' is nice enough. It's a good bonus feature, but isn't quite as wonderful as 'The Snowman,' and doesn't hold my son's interest (or mine) as well. I understand that the British version is racy and lot more charming.

Anyhow, it's a real treat to be able to share this movie with my son!

A previous reviewer had noted that it was too hard to believe that Judi Dench's character would fall for Michael Williams' character. This might be helped along by the fact that the two were very happily married in real life for many years until he passed away last year.

I really enjoy this series, but feel that many people came upon it looking for something more after loving the As Time Goes By series. The dialog and plot lines don't compare, but it does share the sweetness and simplicity. It is a bit slow-moving, even for its genre. Still, it will provide a supplement for those deprived of Judi Dench's wonderful acting now that As Time Goes By has completed its final season.

...I chose to miss this movie in theatres based on its poor reviews. However, when looking for a family movie to watch on our new DVD player, I could no longer resist the idea of characters voiced by Kevin Kline and Kenneth Brannagh. We (2 adults and a 2 1/2 year old) watched this movie from beginning to end twice that weekend. It is visually stunning, the plot is great as is the moral (friendship over personal gain). The songs are forgettable, that's true. (But the songs in Disney movies now try so hard to get radio play that they are no longer for a kid audience either. If Disney's our benchmark, they're up to par.) In general, this movie is much better than anything Disney has put out since the Lion King. Notably, except for the use of the word "hell" twice (which my 2 year old could do without - bare backsides in the context of taking a bath as in the movie are not considered sexual content in my house), this movie is far less violent than sections of most all of the Disney movies. In all, I feel lucky to have found this movie and feel it's unfortunate that critics seem to have kept so many of us from seeing this great family movie...

Unlike some of Potter's other books concerning young animals' rash behavior (Peter Rabbit, Tom Kitten) or adult animals' ignorance/trickery (Jemima Puddle Duck, Mr. Tod), this book simply tells the story of Jeremy who is almost eaten by a fish while fishing on a lily pad. No life lesson, but a sweet story and some of her most beautiful illustrations ever. Especially great for budding fishermen/women!

Ric Burns has made it compelling for future generations to look deeply at some of the most important events in American history and see them fully with the sense of being of that time and yet with the perspective one gains with hindsight. His boundless curiosity is only matched by his gift for packaging the product. To tackle the subject of New York City and render a complete picture is a testament to his drive. Even a jaded native-New Yorker will look at the city in a new way after reading this book!