DVD Corner

Santa Buddies Blu-ray Review

“Santa Buddies” is strictly for kids.

“Santa Buddies,” the fourth Buddies movie to date, opens with Santa Claus and Santa Paws seeing the magic Christmas icicle (don’t ask) melting because of a severe lack of Christmas spirit. If the icicle keeps melting, Christmas will be lost for good. Enter Puppy Paws, a fun-loving, Christmas spirit-less troublemaker who is tired of life on the North Pole. He decides to hitch a ride on a mail truck to track down a fellow troublesome pup named Budderball. He eventually finds Budderball (and the other 4 buddies B-Dawg, Buddha, Mudbud, and Rosebud) and he ends up annoying them all. The Buddies quickly learn, however, that Paws is merely trying to fit in with them. Before they can apologize, Paws is taken by a grumpy dog catcher. Can the Buddies save Paws? Will Paws redeem himself and find his Christmas spirit? Can Christmas be saved?

Children are likely to be enchanted and delighted by the characters in “Santa Buddies,” but I can’t say the same for adults. Sure, the movie has its heart in the right place and is filled with important themes about kindness and friendship, but the movie is downright cringe-worthy at times. It’s painful to see George Wendt and Christopher Lloyd slumming it here and it’s even worse to see dogs singing and a dog character named B-Dawg rapping and uttering quotes like “Fo schizzle” and “My nose shines just like my bling.”

You know this Blu-ray disc is impressive when the cheap CGI scenes (such as the icicles and the reindeer) look breathtaking in 1.78:1 1080p.

The 5.1 DTS-HD audio track is lively and noisy. No complaints here.

Extras include a DVD copy of “Santa Buddies,” Disney trailers, a “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” music video, and a sing along songs feature.

November 30, 2009 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 1 | Santa Buddies Blu-ray Review