Anastasia

This first challenger to the Disney animation throne is actually better than most of The Mouse's recent annual behemoths--which is ironic, since the Disney template is visible in every frame. Naturally, it's a musical, but for once there's no need to grumble--this is easily the best collection of songs written for a cel-animated feature since Howard Ashman died halfway through penning Aladdin's lyrics. Meg Ryan gives the title character--a princess who believes herself a penniless orphan who's convinced by con men to pose as the woman that she actually is, if you follow me--a sorely-needed abrasive edge that makes her oodles more interesting than passive Disney waifs like Ariel and Belle; John Cusack lends his inimitable Cusackian charm to Anastasia's promoter-cum-suitor, Dmitri; and Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) demonstrates yet again that he's got the best voice in the business. As history, of course, it's bunk, but then it isn't called Anastasia--A True Story, so let's cut it some slack. Recommended. (M. D'Angelo)[DVD Review—Mar. 21, 2006—Fox, 2 discs, 94 min., G, $19.98—Making its second appearance on DVD, 1997's Anastasia (Family Fun Edition) features a great transfer and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. DVD extras include audio commentary by filmmakers Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, the direct-to-video 1999 sequel Bartok the Magnificent, a 44-minute “making-of” documentary, a 29-minute “Learn to Draw” section with instructions on drawing four characters and an introduction by Bluth (29 min.), two sing-a-longs for “Once Upon a December” and “Learn to Do It,” an interactive “International Phonetic Alphabet Sing-A-Long” featuring two different songs in over a dozen different languages, an “Anya's Day Out” interactive paper doll game, a “Rasputin's Revenge” puzzle game, a “Help Anya Remember” trivia game, the “Journey to the Past” music video and “making-of” the video by late songstress Aaliyah, some “Russian History Clickables” factoids spread throughout the second disc, and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for a winsome family film.]