The Land Before Time - Region 2 DVD

This 1988 animated feature from Don Bluth (An American Tail) focuses on an orphaned young dinosaur, Littlefoot, who has to make his way to the paradise of the Great Valley in order to survive a plague. Along the way, he meets up with some other dinos from different species, and they all bond and travel together. On the way, they have plenty of adventures. Even with elements of suspense, this is a pretty relaxed movie that isn't in a particular hurry to roll out its story. Kids will like the originality of the concept, and the themes of friendship and cooperation are well woven into the fabric of the entertainment, plus the music is great. Bluth's artwork looks good, though--as always--he never seems to quite catch up with the quality of the Disney machine. --Tom Keogh

The Land Before Time 2 - The Great Valley Adventure

Young brontosaurus Littlefoot and his pals venture out of the Great Valley into the Mysterious Beyond and encounter a T-rex and a pair of omnivores who just want to be friendly. (Gulp.) The gang learns how hard it is to be a kid on one's own in a scary place--what with landslides and ferocious "sharptooths." This first sequel to The Land Before Time mostly holds up the visual quality of Don Bluth's original, though the story is narrower and less interesting. Music by the Roches and James Horner. --Tom Keogh