Blu-ray Movie Reviews

It's autumn, and the fairies are on the mainland changing the colors of the leaves, tending to pumpkin patches, and helping geese fly south for the winter. The rare blue moon will soon rise to pass its light through the magical Fall Scepter so Pixie Hollow's supply of pixie dust will be restored. But when Tinker Bell (voiced by Mae Whitman) accidentally puts the community in jeopardy, she must travel across the sea in order to set things right.

Leave it to Disney's marketing machine to create another profitable business unit for the company. It all started in 2005 with a series of books based on the Disney Fairies, then branched into apparel and toys, migrated into the Disney Parks and Resorts around the world, found its way online and into video games, and made its direct-to-DVD and Blu-ray debut last year with Tinker Bell. My kids are past the intended demographic, but the animation is spectacular and the heartwarming screenplay kept everyone in my family entertained.

I was blown away by the video quality on the first Tinker Bell with its flawless digital image, and the studio continues to impress here. Although 3D is the future of Blu-ray—at least if Panasonic gets its way—you would be hard-pressed to improve upon the dimensionality in this presentation. The depth is mesmerizing with striking colors, perfect black levels, and impeccable detail in the textures of clothing and the characters' facial expressions.

The DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack exhibits excellent imaging across the front soundstage and a plethora of discrete effects from every direction. The full-bodied score from Joel McNeeley is more engaging than in Tinker Bell, and the many action sequences boast impressive bass and creative sound design, especially in the rear speakers.

Catering to a young demographic, the supplements don't offer much for parents, but the younglings will certainly be entertained. There are deleted scenes, a music video from Demi Lovato, outtakes and bloopers, and a featurette on the creation of Pixie Hollow Fairy Garden at Walt Disney World. Additionally, there's a DVD copy of the film so the kids can enjoy it in the car or on their own DVD player.

The target demographic is certainly young girls, but the story caters to young and old with a tale about friendship and responsibility. The video presentation is perfect in every way—if you have young kids, use them as your excuse to check it out. Recommended for families.

Release Date: October 27, 2009
Studio: Disney

Movie: 6/10
Picture: 10/10
Sound: 9/10

Review System

Source
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray player

Display
JVC DLA-RS1 projector
Stewart FireHawk screen (76.5" wide, 16:9)

Electronics
Onkyo Pro PR-SC885 pre/pro
Anthem PVA-7 power amplifier
Belkin PF60 power conditioner

Speakers
M&K S-150s (L, C, R)
M&K SS-150s (LS, RS, SBL, SBR)
SVS PC-Ultra subwoofer

Cables
Monoprice HDMI cables (source to pre/pro)
Best Deal analog-audio cables
PureLink HDC Fiber Optic HDMI Cable System (15 meters) from pre/pro to projector

Acoustical treatments from GIK Acoustics