The Spiderwick Chronicles
Two-Disc Field Guide Edition
Paramount

While somewhat flawed, this adaptation of the popular series of books by Tony DiTerllizi and Holly Black didn’t do bang-up biz at the box office, but it’s one of those DVD releases that may well become a “let’s watch it again” on the family shelves. It’s all held together by talented young actor Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland, August Rush) playing twin brothers Jared and Simon Grace who, with their sister, are reeling from their parents’ divorce as mom moves them into a rickety old mansion once owned by their great-aunt. Her father, an eccentric scientist-and-more, Arthur Spiderwick, disappeared 80 years ago. Jared discovers his book about a secret world of fairies, goblins, ogres and such, and the adventure begins. The fantasy elements in vibrant CGI may be scary/jarring for some little ones, but overall it’s a very family-friendly film with just enough danger and triumphs, real-kid troubles, and otherworldly wonder. This two-disc editon includees deleted scenes, Siderwick’s Field Guide to that other world just outside our doors (and in our front and backyards, it seems), plus the usual making-of featurette that’s good viewing – after you’ve watched the film, of course.

The Sword in the Stone
45th Anniversary Edition
Disney

Beloved by some, Disney-ites are divided over whether Sword in the Stone ranks as a classic or not. The songs by the Sherman Brothers are hardly the stuff of lasting memories, and the animation is somewhat standard Disney-in-the-’60s. Still, the young King Arthur tale, adapted – very loosely – from the T.E. White book, has its charms as the boy who would be ruler of England is schooled by a fumbling, funny, yet also warm-hearted Merlin. There are plenty of bonus features on this new edition as well, including: The All-New Merlin’s Magical Academy Game; “Knight for a Day,” a short starring Goofy in a jousting mode; a truly classic Mickey Mouse short, “Brave Little Tailor”; The Sword in the Stone Scrapbook; and a look at the Sherman Brothers and how much they contributed to Disney music magic. Essential? Maybe not. But another good one for any family’s Disney library.

The Jungle Book 2
Special Edition
Disney

Unlike some other Disney sequels to their classics, this one just can’t match the original at all, though it tries. Mowgli (voiced by Haley Joel Osment) goes from life in the man-village to reuniting with old pal Baloo the bear (John Goodman), though this time, a village girl named Shanti (the “love/crush interest”) is part of the tale. The villains include Kaa the snake and, back again, tiger Shere Khan, plus, because they were so good the first time and it seems new material couldn’t hold a candle, remake versions of “The Bare Necessities” and the swingin’ “I Wanna Be Like You.” It’s not bad, by any means, but it’s all such a retread without much new vision that you may want to go for a rental on this one.

Transformers Roll Out
Hasbro

Cashing in on the mega success of last year’s live action Transformer film, Hasbro, the parent company of all things Autobot and Decepticon, launched this new animated series. While the original Transformers shows of the ’80s were hardly cutting-edge cartoons, this one looks so choppy, blocky, and cut-rate, it makes one yearn for a split-the-difference anime-meets-U.S. styling approach, as this is not it. Set in the future, leader Optimus Prime is still with us, and so in the fabled AllSpark. Enter those evil Decepticons and all heck (this is so for kids, y’ know) breaks loose. Our heroes crash land on Earth, in stasis for 50 years, finally “awaking” in a high-techy human world of 22nd century Detroit (good news for the Motor City). The stories are typical Saturday morning cartoon kids’ sci-fi fare. Boys, and transforming girls too, will love it all, despite the animation’s cheese factor. Grade C plus on this, though, at best. It’s nowhere near as much fun as those former various incarnations of Transformers, much of them on DVD too. Start there before this.