Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! - DVD
Horton Hears a Who! is based on a children's book, and the movie is also perfect for children and families. So, how about those special features? Well, some of them are pretty good, and some...not so much.
The "Elephant Fun: The Facts" featurette is fun and educational -- a worth while use of the time. Kids will enjoy learning interesting facts about real elephants. Another feature, "Our Speck: Where Do We Fit In?," has real kids talking to viewing children about the environment and how the little things we do can make a big difference.
The DVD game "We Are Here!" is a pain. In itself, the game is an OK version of a remember and repeat the pattern game. However, the need to change the Bitstream audio setting is annoying, and the game goes pretty slow (as most DVD games do). The other disappointment is the short, "Surviving Sid." As far as the Ice Age related shorts go, this one is a little lame.
The commentary features are about what you would expect, and the "making of" features are interesting, especially for kids who may be fascinated by the process of making an animated movie. I consider this DVD a must-own for families, simply because of the great story, the tie to a beloved children's book, and the colorful, eye-catching animation, but it is always nice when there are at least a couple of special features that add real value to the DVD purchase.
Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! - Blu-ray
The Blu-ray version does not contain the DVD-Rom "Create Your Own Animation" feature from the DVD, and only contains one Blu-ray exclusive feature:
- Bonus View technology “Watch Horton Hears a Who! with a Who!”: Jo Jo the Who sits in the corner of the screen in a little chair, popping in and out to eat his popcorn and watch the movie with you. Children will think this is neat -- very small children.
