VeggieTales - An Easter Carol

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: Now here's an interesting take on the Scrooge theme. I really appreciated that they mentioned that there's no such thing as ghosts "You're having a vision!" Pretty funny! Anyway, this video really teaches about what happens when greed overtakes Godliness when they want to destroy the town church to make everything Easter eggs. It's a great video to teach your children about the true meaning of Easter - it's not about bunnies and eggs! Rebecca St. James is a nice addition too - what a beautiful voice!

Rating:
Summary: Great Easter video!
Review: Now here's an interesting take on the Scrooge theme. I really appreciated that they mentioned that there's no such thing as ghosts "You're having a vision!" Pretty funny! Anyway, this video really teaches about what happens when greed overtakes Godliness when they want to destroy the town church to make everything Easter eggs. It's a great video to teach your children about the true meaning of Easter - it's not about bunnies and eggs! Rebecca St. James is a nice addition too - what a beautiful voice!

Rating:
Summary: Stained Glass in Video
Review: The stained glass backgrounds were done by Sheri Law at Sheri Law Art Glass Ltd in Lockport IL. She has a website and does spectacular work! She's designed a number of different churches. Does windows, anything you can imagine!

Rating:
Summary: Very cute!
Review: There's a lot to love about this DVD - it's got beautiful animation and beautiful music. The angel, voiced by Rebecca St. James, is especially lovely, and her voice is gorgeous. The mechanical chickens and the chicken rap are absolutely hysterical, and the story about Mrs. Nezzer, the Christian grandma, is extremely touching for both young and old. However, in adapting it from Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," there are times when I thought the story dragged on a bit just for the sake of having "parallels" to the other story. For example, Easter Future was especially convoluted. My 6yo couldn't understand why there could be no Easter just because there wasn't a pretty church nearby ("You don't need a church to believe in Jesus, right, Mommy?") It could have used some serious editing. This is the most explicitly Christian of all their videos, by the way. The other ones (Jonah, Josh and the Big Wall, The Ballad of Little Joe, Madame Blueberry) all could be said to fall under the general category of "Judeo-Christian values" or Barney-esque "good morality tales," but this one makes explicit to children why belief in Jesus is so important and why Easter is such a joyous occasion. The timing of this video couldn't be better, either. I suspect a lot of little ones will get reminders about Mr. Nezzer when pining after chocolate bunnies this year. =) Though it has some shortcomings, all in all, it's definitely a beautiful video worth watching.

Rating:
Summary: Great Holiday Special!
Review: This Easter VeggieTales is cute, spunky and full of fun and truth, as are most anything that comes out of the BigIdea team -- they are witty and yet care enough to put some decent meaning into their work and onto the market for our kids to enjoy and grow on. The only thing to watch out for on behalf of our very little ones is the slightly startling scene where the Grama is talking to her Scrooge-like grandson in his dream (since this tale IS in fact based on Dicken's "Scrooge") -- my three year old got a bit of a fright out of that part. But since I'm firmly committed to watching any new movie right beside and with my kids the first time (at least) that they see it, I could hold him on my lap and explain the scene. My three children and my mother in law and I all thoroughly enjoyed the film and felt very warmed by the message and the fun.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This movie is not up to the standard of previous productions. It was superficial and seemed to miss the point. That aside, my main gripe is this: a little girl's pencils are stolen and the policeman does nothing about it. Why? Because the thief is dangerous and menacing and "Why would anyone risk their life for another person if they don't have the spirit of Easter in their heart?" That's a direct quote, or nearly, and it's in context. I don't like the impression that gives, that only a Christian would put another person's welfare before their own safety and that, in the end, it's only because the spirit of Easter is in their heart. Ugh, just the notion of that is sickening. I liked the earlier videos because they were entertaining, moral and non-judgmental. This one only got 1 of 3 and that's not enough to coax me into letting my nieces watch it again in my presence.

Rating:
Summary: Super and Fun
Review: Until The Passion of the Christ, the VeggieTales Movie was the highest grossing Christian movie. The Veggie tales are fun for kids and do not have that awful, cheap, washed-out look that so many Christian cartoons have. These are fresh fun and this Easter Carol would be a great addition to any home's library. the material is safe, the Easter message (and NOT the Easter BUNNY junk) is clear. Next Easter, play your The Passion DVD and this DVD for the kids and you to lighten things up once again.

Rating:
Summary: A Let Down
Review: Veggie Tales must have changed owners. I expected more content, spirit & personality, as we experienced in other Veggie Tales videos. The people behind the good videos a couple of years ago must have split up, or sold the company to someone else, or got a board to convince them to water down their message. Don't spend your money on this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: A Let Down
Review: Veggie Tales must have changed owners. I expected more content, spirit & personality, as we experienced in other Veggie Tales videos. The people behind the good videos a couple of years ago must have split up, or sold the company to someone else, or got a board to convince them to water down their message. Don't spend your money on this DVD.

Rating:
Summary: The best veggie tale yet!
Review: Wow!
I didn't think they could top my other favorites. This one is simple and direct about the Christian meaning of Easter. I would say that it explains the true meaning of Christianity (pretty impresive for an animated adventure!). The stained glass panels which tell the story at the end of the movie are well done, and I really enjoyed watching this with my kids. This is the best Veggie Tale in a while. My sincere thanks to the people who produced this movie.