Blu-ray Movie Reviews

CINDERELLA Disney Movie •••• Picture/Sound •••• Extras ••••½

TOY STORY 10th Anniversary Edition Pixar/Disney Movie •••• Picture/Sound ••••½ Extras ••••

Each of these movies wowed its audience with state-of-the-art techniques. To create an animated classic takes more than just innovation, however, as each movie also charms with great storytelling, memorable characters, and striking imagery. Cinderella (1950) emerged from the artistry of the Nine Old Men, Disney's top animators of the 1940s and '50s. Generations later, Toy Story (1995) was told by co-writer/director John Lasseter with a comic, postmodern look and tone that completely fit the modern-day sensibility of its computer origin.

Both titles come in packed two-disc sets. Cinderella has restored images that reveal intricate detail and vibrant color. There's a new, warm-sounding 5.1-channel Home Theater mix as well as the cleaned-up original mono soundtrack. Toy Story's all-digital transfer, made at a higher bit rate than that of previous editions, now has greater picture detail. And its Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES mixes are clearer, with punchier bass.

Cinderella's extras include two deleted scenes, seven unused songs, a making-of documentary, a featurette about the Nine Old Men, games, and two music videos. Toy Story's second disc contains all the extras from the previous Deluxe Edition plus a sneak peek at Lasseter's Cars, a featurette on Toy Story's legacy (including interviews with celebrated filmmakers influenced by the film), and a music video of Lyle Lovett and Randy Newman singing "You've Got a Friend in Me." Cinderella: [NR] English, Dolby Digital 5.1 and mono; French and Spanish, Dolby Digital 5.1; full frame (1.33:1); two dual-layer discs. Toy Story: [G] English, Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES; French and Spanish, Dolby Surround; letterboxed (1.78:1) and anamorphic widescreen; two dual-layer discs..