Ages: General Audience
TinkerBell speaks. TinkerBell has fairy girl friends. TinkerBell is now out on a Disney Blu-ray Hi-Def and DVD. This is the story of TB before she met up with the J.M. Barrie's children. In fact it starts with the birth of Tink from the laugh of a child, her journey to Pixie Hollow and how she became TinkerBell.
In a clever take on the word Tinker - Bell's talent destines her to be a tinkerer - one who makes things. She yearns for a more loftier occupation - water fairy, light fairy, garden fairy - those who make the seasons and go the mainland. Unfortunately, her attempts at being who she's not all end up in disaster, and it is not until the end when she accepts who she is that there is a happy conclusion.
Pixie Hollow shows Disney's talent at creating magical environments - glowing waterfalls of pixie dust, secret nooks and crannies - mushrooms, pumpkins, acorn and greenery form an enchanting fairyland.
The characters are less successful. The personalities are out of a high school girl group,
with Vidia being the catty, snubbing, alpha fairy.
Voice acting is good with all the characters given unique voices - even Anjelica Huston as Queen Clarion.
The facial expressions are pretty amazing and work well at conveying the characters feelings.
However, there was something in the doll-like plasticness of the characters that had me feel,
cynically, that this was a big marketing ploy for a character set of 5 fairies in time for the holidays.
Surprise! The following Sunday's paper showed the pixy fairies at Target.
Disney probably even has TinkerBell costumes for Halloween.
And there is more to come. This is the first in a series of Disney Fairy films. Expect to see more of the fairies of Pixie Hollow. Imagine a kitchen fairy - we have kitchen witches, a summer, winter, fall fairy, a homework fairy - sitting atop your head as you study - it's endless.
As always, I find the "Making Of" to be the most interesting part of bonus disks. John Lassiter talks about creating a fairy world by imagining himself five inches tall. And looking at John - that is quite a feat. Blue ray disk owners can access Disney BD Live Network for instant messaging, video streaming and online shopping. The Tinker Trainer game is a find, collect and build activity. You too can put together a music box.
Fun Factor: Come to Pixie Hollow.
Female Factor: Fairies are a girl thing.
Reviewed by: Editor - 10/08