Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) is a beautiful and driven young woman determined to open her own New Orleans restaurant, but her plans take a detour when Prince Naveen (Bruno Compos) struts into town and is turned into a frog by the evil Dr. Facilier (Keith David). A kiss from Tiana should restore him, but the plan backfires and turns her into a frog. The two must then travel into the bayou in search of a priestess who can hopefully remove the curse.

This is the first 2D hand-drawn animated title from Disney since 2004's Home on the Range. After the mainstream birth of computer animation with 1995's Toy Story, many studios, including Disney, got the impression that families are tired of "classic" animation and only interested in computer-animated titles. Surprisingly, Disney seemed to forget that not only does a film need to look pretty, it needs to have a good story. However, the studio has redeemed itself here, even though the trailers weren't that impressive.

As you'll see in The Princess and the Frog, traditional animation can blow you away on Blu-ray, and when it's coupled with an outstanding DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, it certainly deserves a place as an ultimate demo.

James's dream

• Chapter 2, 0:04:44
• Detail, depth, color saturation
• As the neighborhood enjoys young Tiana's gumbo, check out the amazing detail as folks sit on the porch. Notice how the glow from the lantern affects the picture, the depth of the animation, and the various pastel colors of the clothes.

Almost there

• Chapter 6, 00:44:50
• Surround imaging, dynamics, frequency response
• Before Tiana bursts into the Oscar-nominated song "Almost There," listen to the pinpoint placement of the echoes in the empty building. Whether it's the hollow footsteps and voices or the fluttering of escaping birds, it sounds like you're there. Once the music kicks in, sit back and enjoy the tune.

Frog hunters

• Chapter 12, 00:50:39
• Detail, surround imaging
• As Naveen and Tiana travel through the bayou, a trio of inbred frog hunters set their sights on dinner. Look at the detail in the foliage and listen to the precise imaging as they stalk their prey.

Release Date: March 9, 2010
Studio: Disney

Movie: 8/10
Picture: 9/10
Sound: 10/10