Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy + UltraViolet and Rainbow Wig) (2012)

The film opens with the penguins and lemur King Julien XIII flying off in a monkey-powered plane to visit the casinos of Monte Carlo, leaving Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman back in Africa awaiting their return. When the penguins don't come back, the lion, zebra, hippo, and giraffe go after them and descend on the casino in their typically bumbling fashion. Silliness and comedy abound, but the plot drags a bit through this section of the film until the introduction of Captain DuBois, an animal control officer with some serious tracking skills and an obsession with acquiring a lion head for her wall. The story and action really begin in earnest when Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman join up with a traveling circus in an attempt to elude DuBois. The sense of conflict, humor on both kid and adult levels, and suspense is fantastic as the foursome go to great lengths to impress the veteran circus animals and improve the struggling circus's show to win a coveted American tour contract. Each of the animals learns some important lessons about taking risks, believing in oneself, and finding and pursuing one's passion along the journey.

• Format: AC-3, Animated, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
• Region: Region A/1 
• Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Paramount
• DVD Release Date: October 16, 2012
• Run Time: 93 minutes

Overall: It doesn't break any new ground, but the third installment in the Madagascar series is brighter, louder, and a bit funnier than the two before it. If you enjoyed the last two, you'll enjoy this as well.

Pete's Dragon: 35th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray Combo Pack) [Blu-ray + DVD]

When Pete, an orphan, and his best friend Elliott - an invisible green dragon - wander into the seaside village of Passamaquoddy, the townspeople think he's behind a slew of hilarious mishaps. But after a daring rescue, they change their tune and believe in Pete's fire-breathing buddy. Filled with friendship and fun, and featuring the Academy Award-nominated Candle on the Water (Best Original Song, 1977), this family classic on Disney Blu-ray turns every viewing into a Brazzle Dazzle Day.                                                                                                Special Features

• The original story called for Elliott the dragon to remain invisible throughout the entire film.
• Animators opted for an oriental, rather than occidental, dragon, because oriental dragons are usually associated with good.
• One of the movie's special effects involved compositing, whereby up to three scenes might be composited together -- for example, a live foreground, a live background, and an animated middle ground containing Elliott.
• The film is the first involving animation in which none of the Nine Old Men -- Disney's original team of animators -- was involved.
• The town square and wharf area for the film's setting of Passamaquoddy, a Maine fishing village, were constructed on the Disney Burbank Studio lot partly from an old western set.
• The lighthouse the studio built for the film in Morro Bay, California, had such a powerful beacon, they had to get special permission from the Coast Guard to operate it. Sadly, it was torn down at the conclusion of filming.
• The song, "Candle On The Water," by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschorn, received an Academy Award(R) nomination for Best Song, along with tunes from two other Disney films -- THE RESCUERS and THE SLIPPER AND THE ROSE -- THE STORY OF CINDERELLA. The Oscar went to "You Light Up My Life," from the film of the same name.
• Singer Helen Reddy, famous for the feminist anthem, "I Am Woman," makes her second big-screen appearance as Nora, while screen veteran Mickey Rooney plays her father, Lampie.

Pete's Dragon is a wonderful, magical movie for children 5 and older. The songs are fun and the story is great. Adults will enjoy it, too.

Overall, it is definitely a must have for all Disney movie fans!