Strawberry Shortcake - Berry, Merry Christmas

Rating:
Summary: Doesn't compare to the classic Shortcake videos
Review: If you enjoyed the classic Strawberry Shortcake videos (e.g., "World of Strawberry Shortcake") and were excited about the new series of videos, you might be disappointed that the new videos have very little in common with the classics other than the name. In my opinion, the changes are for the worse.

Many of the classic characters have either changed or are no longer present. The beloved benefactor Mr. Sun as well as the evil Purple Pieman no longer make an appearance (more about this later). The personality of the remaining characters also change. In the classic videos, the character portrayal is deeper, while the characters in the new videos have rather stereotyped one-dimensional personalities.

The classic videos spoke about the human condition in a way that could move our hearts. We sympathized with the Purple Pieman's love for pie. In him, we could see our own struggles of the flesh. We longed for the innocence of Strawberry Shortcake; yet we feared that innocence would be lost to malice. We applauded when Mr. Sun saved the day, and we found relief in the knowledge that an all-powerful being would make every situation work out for the good of those who love. In the end, Purple Pieman found redemption in the berry fellowship of friendship, and we saw that even the most lost among us could be brought back.

In comparison, "Berry Merry Christmas" is sanitized, with no deeper struggles or longings than that of the last-minute Christmas shopper. There are some sugar-coated lessons about friendship but these reflect simple ignorance rather than truly heartfelt struggles. Shortcake videos aim to be sweet, but this video is purely empty calories with no nutritional content.

Rating:
Summary: Berry Bad
Review: In a word: AWFUL. Strawberry Shortcake makes Barney look like a talented genius. Flat characters, extremely low budget animation, and a dull plot are the *best* things this animated children's film has to offer. Worst aspects are the trite, saccharine dialog and the HORRIBLE voices, especially the horse character. My wife and I cringe every time we hear the off-key singing, which is plentiful. And once you've heard the first lame "berry/very" switch (e.g., "that would be berry excellent!") the remainder are like hitting your thumb with a hammer over and over again. The only reason we play this CD is because our two little girls (ages 5 and 3) enjoy it and there is nothing offensive content-wise. (Indeed, there's almost nothing content-wise, period.) Do yourself a favor and avoid this annoying, tedious stinker. For what it's worth, we greatly enjoyed the Barbie Nutcracker animated movie and would highly recommend viewing it instead.

Rating:
Summary: Celebrate the holiday season with Strawberry Shortcake!
Review: My 3 year old loves Strawberry Shortcake. These DVDs keep her entertained and are just the right length so I can finish dinner and keep an eye on her.

Unlike Mr. Seattle, Washington, with his unrealistic expectation that the CHILDREN voicing these characters should be more talented, I find it refreshing that this progam is populated with children voiced by children. So many cartoons have children voiced by adults using falsetto and I, personally, find that a little creepy.

My little girl loves singing along with the characters in her sweet, OFF-KEY voice and for that the DVD is worth twice the price I paid for it.

The fact is that this is a DVD for small children and it's bright colors and simple storylines it hits the mark.

Rating:
Summary: Sweet Child's Entertainment
Review: My 3 year old loves Strawberry Shortcake. These DVDs keep her entertained and are just the right length so I can finish dinner and keep an eye on her.

Unlike Mr. Seattle, Washington, with his unrealistic expectation that the CHILDREN voicing these characters should be more talented, I find it refreshing that this progam is populated with children voiced by children. So many cartoons have children voiced by adults using falsetto and I, personally, find that a little creepy.

My little girl loves singing along with the characters in her sweet, OFF-KEY voice and for that the DVD is worth twice the price I paid for it.

The fact is that this is a DVD for small children and it's bright colors and simple storylines it hits the mark.

Rating:
Summary: Great for every little girl during the holidays!
Review: My daughter absolutely loves Strawberry Shortcake as much as I did when I was growing up! We already owned Meet Strawberry Shortcake and Springtime for Strawberry Shortcake, and she watches them over and over and over again all day long. I find myself singing the songs in the shower! So, when I saw that there is now a Christmas movie, I had to get it for her! And I'm glad that I did because she loves it just as much as the other two. It is full of great Christmas scenery and catchy little Christmas songs (there is also a soundtrack to this movie that you can buy for all of the Christmas songs). The story is about Strawberry Shortcake and all of her friends at Christmas time. Strawberry finds herself stuck in the dilemma of what to get for each of her friends - she wants to get everyone the absolute PERFECT gift. All of the main characters are in this movie. It's a must have for any Strawberry Shortcake fan!
I'm kind of tired of hearing people saying that it doesn't live up to the Strawberry Shortcake of the past. I grew up watching and playing with the old Strawberry Shortcake, and although it has changed slightly, it is only a little bit in a appearance. They are better quality and a little bit more modernized... so what??? I don't understand what the big deal is. And it's not like little girls now even know the difference, so who cares? They are great movies! Especially this one! There is also a music video at the end that my daughter loves to dance to!

Rating:
Summary: DEFINITELY A 5 STAR!!! we love this video!!!
Review: This video is just adorable... very cute, and very very colorful. Kid friendly video... well worth the money, and holds my kids attention til' the end ~mine too!! this has to be the cutest cartoon. Cute meaning behind the story line too.... my daughter is 6 and loves this video!! one of her favorites instantly!

Rating:
Summary: BERRY BERRY CUTE Video !!!
Review: This was the first Strawberry Shortcake Video that I bought , and it made me want to run out and buy them all. My daughter keeps watching it over and over. Even my 8 year old son enjoys watching it. It is very cute and has some very catchy songs that they sing throughout the tape. I even enjoy watching along with my kids. There is a really neat music video at the end called The Strawberry Shake. Its fun to dance along with. I definately reccommend this to be at the top of the list of christmas videos for your child to watch.

Rating:
Summary: 2princessesmom
Review: Very sweet holiday cheer from Strawberry and all her friends-sweet Christmas songs and situations with Santa Claus-would recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Fun Musical Adventure for All Ages
Review: With Christmas just a few days, everyone's favorite classic cartoon character, Strawberry Shortcake, has decided that it's time for her to choose some extra special Christmas presents for her extra special friends. So, with Honey Pie Pony in tow, she travels to a magical place called Holiday Land, to search for the perfect gifts, and she finds them. But when an unexpected incident involving a pile of melting snowballs ruins all of the presents that Strawberry Shortcake selected for her friends, she is forced to realize that the most important aspect of Christmas isn't giving presents, or even receiving them, but rather having friends to celebrate with.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE was my absolute favorite cartoon when I was younger. So seeing her come back, especially in a holiday movie, I knew I had to have it. I must admit, it doesn't disappoint. BERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS features the classic cartoon character, along with all of her closest friends, and teaches children and adults of all ages a special lesson about Christmas, and the holidays all together, through a series of songs and adventures that they embark on, in this holiday movie. A must-have gift for all this year. Especially for those of us who grew up with the cute little red-haired girl named Strawberry Shortcake.

Erika Sorocco