We still are a few weeks away from Thanksgiving but the onslaught of holiday specials and movie releases on DVD and Blu-ray is already in full swing. This week, for example, animation fans can get their hands on Sony/Aardman’s Arthur Christmas, SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas and Regular Show: The Best DVD in the World. They all sound pretty good to us, so here’s a little bit of info on each release:
Arthur Christmas. This is the Sony/Aardman collaboration from last year, which imagined the whole behind-the-scenes mechanics of the Claus clan’s gift-delivering opertion, centering on the lovable yet accident-prone son of Santa Claus, who has to take matters into his own hands when things go awry one year. Directed by Sarah Smith and Barry Cook, the CG-animated tale features excellent voice work by the likes of James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Ashley Jensen and Imelda Staunton. There are lots of behind-the-scenes goodies, progression reels and an Elf Recruitment video included in the 195-minute total time. (3-Disc, Blu-ray, 3-D edition goes for $28 on amazon.)
SpongeBob SquarePants: It’s a SpongeBob Christmas. Only a Scrooge wouldn’t want to take in a classic stop-motion holiday special featuring everyone’s favorite absorbent hero. Stephen Hillenburg’s remarkably durable character and his Bikini Bottom pals are in a festive mood as they prepare for Santa’s arrival. But not Plankton, who’s once again expecting a lump of coal. So he comes up with his most diabolic new scheme yet, one that practically guarantees he’ll finally get the gift he’s always wanted—the Krabby Patty secret formula! The DVD, includes a behind-the-scenes featurette featuring the folks at stop-motion house Screen Novelties, an animatic, a SpongeBob Yule Log and two downloadable songs from the special—all for the spongeworthy price of $14.99—only $7.99 on amazon!
Regular Show: The Best DVD in the World *At this Moment in Time. J.G Quintel’s hilarious Emmy-winning Cartoon Network show, which features the wonderful antics of Mordecai the bluejay and Rigby the raccoon is just the kind of treat you may want to save for a long weekend full of fighting family members and horrible turkey meals. This new DVD offers 16 episodes from the second and third season of the show including the Emmy-winning “Eggscellent” episode in which Mordecai must win a trucker’s hat after Rigby falls into a coma from eating a massive omelette. Good times, indeed, especially since you can pick up the DVD for only $12.99 on amazon. Oooooooo, yeah!
This week’s other notable releases include:
The Berenstain Bears Collection (Peace Arch Trinity, 3-discs, $19.99 on amazon)
The Flintstones PrimeTime Specials, Vol. 1 and 2 (Warner Archive, $17.98 each on amazon)
Kung Fu Panda Holiday (DreamWorks, $8.86 on amazon)
Looney Tunes Superstars: Porky and Friends (Warner Bros, $14.99 on amazon)
