Tom and Jerry: Fur Flying Adventures is out on DVD. These cartoons are my favorite for any afternoon break as they were when I was a youngster. What is really cool is that Warner Bros. has released a whole new collection of Tom and Jerry shorts, a total of 14 short films.

I embedded my favorite below. Every single time I watch these two characters, I wonder why they don’t produce cartoons like these anymore.

“Now son, you understand why dogs hate cats.”

The cat and mouse are at it again, hilariously, as a perturbed pussycat and a mischievous mouse. I totally enjoyed watch the comedic mayhem with my daughter. It’s literally a menagerie of 14 fur-flying dust-ups.
The tussling twosome takes a trip through time (Guided Mouse-ille), to Europe (Neapolitan Mouse) and into space (O-Solar-Meow).

And it’s two against one when Tom’s scaredy-cat cousin George comes to town in Timid Tabby. But Jerry comes out on top time and again in Pet Peeve, That’s My Mommy and Robin Hoodwinked. This collection’s classic cartoons starring your family’s longstanding favorite cat and mouse duo again prove that as their rivalry is never-ending, so are the joy and the laughs they spark!

If you are interested, you can get your very own DVD.

“Computer” Clip

VeggieTales newest DVD is the first new Easter holiday DVD in seven years: ‘Twas The Night Before Easter. The faith-based DVD is available in Christian and general market stores.

This brand new DVD features plenty of fun music as well as a new character—Cassie Cassava—voiced by American Idol top finalist Melinda Doolittle. Other memorable family-friendly content includes silly songs, interviews and a backstage pass feature with Larry the Cucumber on the “VeggieTales Live!” tour. ‘Twas The Night Before Easter examines how important it is to help other people while exploring the real meaning of Easter.

“We hatched ‘Twas The Night Before Easter as a holiday surprise for families,” said Leslie Ferrell, General Manager of Big Idea Entertainment, the company that produces VeggieTales. “This title follows the huge sales success our first Easter-themed release, An Easter Carol, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to deliver a new DVD timed to the holiday this year. It was truly a rewarding experience working with Melinda Doolittle, and we think fans are going to love her character, Cassie Cassava, just as much as her wonderful singing!”

Its Easter time in Crisper County and cable news reporter Marlee Meade is hunting for a way to help others. She cooks up a plan to save the old theater with a cast of costume-clad townies, massive props and a 20-foot robot rabbit to perform “Up With Bunnies.”

Now there’s only one thing missing – the star of the show! When word spreads that singing sensation Cassie Cassava (Melinda Doolittle) is arriving to perform in her hometown church’s Easter service, Marlee schemes to steal the starlet for her own pageant! But when things go haywire, will it be curtains for Marlee’s dreams – or will she discover the true meaning of Easter and what helping others is really all about?

My daughter has been watching VeggieTales since she was in preschool. As my constant feedback for all children friendly DVDs, she has offered her opinion of the VeggieTales latest.

“It’s funny.” She talked about the different situations that arose in the story, which sounded like a situation comedy. She loved how the movie was upbeat. She even watched the special features, which shows how to draw the characters of the movie, pretty cool!

So, Screenhead has a copy of the DVD to giveaway, so the lucky winner will have it by Easter. Please post your name and we will pick the winner March 25, 2011.

And with Resurrection Sunday–or Easter as some call it–not too far off now, it’s not surprising that Lions Gate would bring out one more Christian children’s movie on Blu-ray. They sent out a copy of it–The Miracle Maker: The Story of Jesus–for me to review and you’ll likely be pretty impressed with the result.

The Miracle Maker: The Story of Jesus isn’t really the story of Jesus, oddly enough, but it’s got a lot of the elements. This is the story of Jesus as told by a family who lived in the time of Jesus, and experienced a lot of the things that happened to him, albeit peripherally. And when the family’s daughter falls ill, they plan to turn for help to that carpenter of steadily growing local acclaim, Jesus. But when the father finds himself torn between the incredible power of God and a desire to be loyal to his earthly king, the whole family finds itself torn in two directions, until they discover where true power lies.

There are many parts of the actual story of Jesus in here, but they seem a bit out of order, a little unsettled. There are other parts in here that have nothing to do with the actual story, but were inserted to provide continuity in the narrative. The resulting product is very coherent and very watchable, especially if you’re looking for a gift for the children and, once again, want to give them something that’s better for them than a hefty mass of candy.

You’ll discover, the farther in you get, that this is at the very least a reasonably accurate rendition of the story of Jesus’ life from birth to death, and though it’s not completely accurate, it’s going to be pretty close, and that’s still better than you get from a lot of places. Watching this with your children is almost utterly sure to start up conversations, and if you’re looking to buy this kind of movie in the first place chances are that’s just what you want.

And though much of the movie is animated in this kind of strange claymation sort of affair, with some plain animation thrown in to denote some flashback and dream sequences and the like. It’s still well put together, a bit of a surprise given the subject matter. Interestingly, the original movie itself is fully twelve years old, another surprise, and it’s held up well despite the lag.

The Screenhead Ten Scale, meanwhile, gives The Miracle Maker: The Story of Jesus an eight out of ten for putting its message out in a nicely realized package that has still managed to look fresh and interesting even after twelve years from its original launch date. This is definitely the kind of thing to put in front of your kids.

With Resurrection Sunday (or as some call it, Easter) rapidly closing in, it’s not at all surprising that we’re getting some Christian kids’ videos together, and so it’s doubly not surprising that Lions Gate would choose now to bring out the Blu-ray version of the Veggie Tales full feature release Jonah. They sent me a copy to review, and it’s a great one for the family.

Following a small disaster with a van on a road trip to a Twippo concert (I’m not even sure if that’s a subreference to something), legendary character Bob the Tomato finds himself temporarily stopped with his charges at a seafood restaurant. And from there, we get a full retelling of the Biblical story of Jonah, in full Veggie Tales tradition, featuring a host of bizarre jokes, some action, a bit of vegetables getting slapped with fish, and of course, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything. Along the way, we’ll get ham-fisted lessons about compassion and second chances, and once again, in the grandest Veggie Tales style.

For anyone hoping for Biblical accuracy here, you can pretty much forget it. But it will be the basic concept, more than sufficient for families wanting to kick off a discussion about the values in the film to do exactly that. It’s more than accessible for the kiddies, and the adults will be able to stomach it, largely because they keep the jokes and the musical numbers coming hard and fast throughout.

It’s got enough energy to power some entire towns, and will be at least close to the basic concept. That should count for plenty, especially for those looking for a nice present for the kids that will have a little better effect on them than a gigantic bucket of candy might. It’s entertaining enough, and certainly not without its charm. It’s playful. That’s an important distinction, really, because so many movies are slick productions that have all the charm of plain white rice, but Jonah will pack laughs and smiles alike.

Also for those concerned about the nature of this kind of thing, don’t be–the production values are actually pretty high, and the whole thing looks very polished, which is a great help in deciding to go with this one.

The Screenhead Ten Scale tosses Jonah an eight out of ten–it succeeds in its goal, it handles things nicely, it looks great and even throws in some extra laughs. It’s a great gift for the kids, and should really spark up some good conversations.

Video: MSN Exclusive: ‘Cars 2′ trailer from Disney

The Cars 2 trailer has some familiar characters guided by Owen Wilson’s Lightning McQueen and Matar. My first thought, I really like the colors in the movie, so sharp and bright. It seems this trailer says a lot about the movie, which Pixar normally doesn’t allow. I wonder what changed, or the movie is completely wacky and fun to watch with much of the story still unknown.

With that said, I sure like watching McQueen and all the cars preening and revving for the camera. I love the idea of making the airplanes animated as a characters, too.

The secret agent Finn McMissile is voiced by  (Michael Caine).  He seems rather sneaky, so I am not sure if he is friend or foe.

But from what I have received from Pixar, along with this trailer, it looks like the whole gang such as Luigi, Guido, Fillmore, Sarge and Mack are returning for Cars 2 with even more character cars added to the story.

The story is about Lightning and Mater traveling the world on a race car circuit. One day, Mater ends up saving the life of a secret agent while becoming involved with a spy thriller. The problem is that no one believes him.

The movie opens June 24, 2011.

Directed by Chris Miller, Puss in Boots is about the events leading up to the sword fighting cat’s meeting with Shrek and his friends. He teams up with Humpty Dumpty and street-savvy Kitty to steal the famed Goose that lays the golden eggs.

Even though he is of small size, Puss can fight any larger opponent because he is skilled with a sword and has such fast maneuvers he dances around his enemies. His trade mark is using his cute nature by staring up at his foes with an innocent, wide-eyed expression, which softens any heart.

In the first Shrek movie he practically stole the show, if it wasn’t for Donkey. The energetic voice of Antonio Banderas creates a unique character that I truly enjoy watching. I just hope Puss in Boots isn’t saturated with this one character. Hopefully, we will be introduced to other fun, loving characters like Donkey, Shrek and Fiona.

Professor Z, aka “The Professor,” voiced by Thomas Kretschman, is an internationally wanted weapons designer in a small, sophisticated German package.

He is a brilliant, but mad monocle-wearing scientist who is plotting to sabotage the World Grand Prix. Though his true motive is unclear, Professor Z is willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate all obstacles and keep the “project” on schedule.

Cars 2 also includes the voices of Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Jason Isaacs, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson, Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, and Tony Shalhoub.

In the sequel, star racecar Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places. They head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.

The thing you’ll have to remember about Rango, which is today’s review target, is that it combines so many disparate concepts together that, alone, are usually worthwhile, but when you put them together, you get a much larger and much more impressive whole than this has any real right to be.

Rango follows a chameleon who, formerly, lived in a terrarium, and spent a lot of time blending in. But when events find him in the middle of the Mojave Desert, Rango’s going to have to do a lot more blending in than even he thought possible. Landing in the sleepy desert town of Dirt, he invents a rough-and-tumble persona (featuring a long and rambling diatribe explaining how he managed to kill seven outlaws with just one bullet) named Rango, he quickly becomes the town’s hero after, largely accidentally, killing a hawk. It doesn’t take the townsfolk long to make him the new Sheriff, but soon, Rango discovers a whole lot of trouble waiting just under the surface.

Like I said above, there are a lot of dissimilar elements here. First off, this is a Western. That by itself is rare in theaters any more–seeing more than three Westerns in a year any more is a banner year. Second, it’s a cartoon. A Western is rare enough…an animated Western? Now that’s something to pay attention to. Now reunite fully three folks from the Pirates of the Caribbean series (director Gore Verbinski, Jack Sparrow himself Johnny Depp, and Davy Jones, or Bill Nighy) and put them all together.

Don’t light a match anywhere near that pot. In fact, it’s best if you don’t even imagine fire in the same room with that kind of mixture.

While we all know that the whole is not always greater than the sum of its parts, this is just that. Jammed to the gills with parody, heaps of laughs, and good old fashioned gunslinging violence, Rango has got a lot going for it. Watch for a particularly clever encounter involving the “Spirit of the West”–I won’t spoiler it, but you’d do well to not be drinking anything after just after Rango crosses the road on the backs of several pillbugs. Trust me on this.

Would I take the kids to this one? No, probably not. There’s also a heaping helping of mild obscenities going on here, and if the kids weren’t terrified of snakes before, they will be once they get a good look at main villain Rattlesnake Jake, a monstrous diamondback rattler with a Gatling gun for a rattle, voice by, as above, former Davy Jones Bill Nighy. That’s a guaranteed recipe for an incredible movie villain, and Nighy playing the heavy is, once again, a welcome sight.

But still! Laughs aplenty, incredible action, top-notch characters and direction, there is virtually nothing to not like about this highly entertaining romp. Success was pretty much guaranteed just from the spec sheet, so it’s not going to surprise anyone at all that this is good stuff. Even the music is fun, with Los Lobos clearly channelling Dick Dale for the end song.

How good? Good enough for the Screenhead Ten Scale to cheerfully hand over a ten out of ten to an animated Western that really shouldn’t have been this good, but was.

Screenhead is hosting a fun giveaway for the whole family. On behalf of Lionsgate Home Entertainment, we are pleased to present Timmy Time: Timmy Steals the Show first-ever DVD from the all-new Preschool series on Playhouse Disney from the Oscar-winning creators of Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep! We are giving away the Timmy Time DVD and Plush Toy!

Fans of the brilliant, Oscar-winning Aardman studios hit children’s series Shaun the Sheep will recognize Timmy as the baby lamb on the farm who is frequently drawn into all kinds of chaotic adventures by the mischievous older sheep. Used to having his way by being “the only lamb in the flock,” Timmy is now heading to preschool with a lot to learn about playing nicely with others, namely his fellow classmates of the furry, feathered and spiky types.

Preschoolers will find both familiarity and fun in Timmy and his friends’ hilarious everyday antics; spilled paint, dealing with beloved blankies and accidentally breaking a window while playing catch (OOPS!). The non-dialogue approach to storytelling and Aardman’s unique and endearing claymation-style animation is perfect for young viewers.

Timmy Time: Timmy Steals the Show is available on DVD. To enter our giveaway to win the DVD and Timmy Time plush toy, post your name and we will pick the winner March 17, 2011.

This trailer is so much fun to watch because you can sing-a-long if you like. I bet, the kids will love this part. Even people like you, who love to sing in the shower will dig singing this song.

MARS NEED MOMS: “Stay Cool” Lyrics

YO, THERE COULD BE LIFE UP ON THE MOONOR SOME PLANET OR ANOTHER
BUT WHAT KIND OF ALIENS
WOULD KIDNAP YOUR MOTHER?

MARS NEEDS MOMS
MARS NEEDS MOMS

CAN’T EVEN TELL
IS THAT A BOY OR A GIRL?
THEY LOOK SO NASTY
MAKE A ROBOT HURL.

NOW SING IT…
MARS NEEDS MOMS

NOW HE’S SEEING ALL THE SIGHTS
KICKING BUTT
TAKING COVER
BUT HE’LL FIGHT THE ALIENS
TO GET BACK HIS MOTHER!

MARS NEEDS MOMS
MARS NEEDS
MARS NEEDS MOMS

YOU GOTTA STAY COOL
NOT MANIC
DON’T PANIC
JUST STAY CALM

MARS NEEDS
MARS NEEDS
MARS NEEDS
MARS NEEDS MOMS!