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Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (NR)

common sense media says

Lots of Disney faves stuck in a bland hodgepodge of shorts.

parents & educators say
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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that though this feature is hailed as a full-length movie, it is actually a collection of shorts, some of which can be found on the Mickey's Christmas Carol DVD. The pace is almost manic, bringing to mind a sugar rush, and some sword fight scenes in the "Nutcracker" short are a little intense for the youngest viewers. Plus the ghost of Christmas Future in the "Christmas Carol" segment might  be scary for little ones. As parents may have guessed by the title, the only winter holiday mentioned here is Christmas, but without any religious elements; under every Christmas tree is a heaping mound of presents.

Educational value: Not applicable.
Positive messages: Various shorts have different messages, some more prominent than others. Of course the short with Scrooge shows the importance of generosity.
Positive role models: Mickey is a good friend, trying to get Donald into the Christmas spirit (however he rewards Donald's negative behavior with a showering of gifts). Scrooge has a turn-around, from being a very grumpy miser to becoming an incredibly generous man about town.
Violence & scariness: Some punching and rough-and-tumble behavior from the duck cousins. Mickey throttles Pluto, calling him a "dumb mutt." There is some sword fighting between Mickey's nutcracker character and Donald Duck's Mouse King character, where Mickey brandishes a sharp sword. No gore, but it's still threatening.
Sexy stuff: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.
Consumerism: All of the Disney characters are present in the House of Mouse, and kids are sure to recognize Ariel, Aladdin, Winnie the Pooh, Belle, the Beast, etc., who of course, adorn everything in stores from bedspreads to lunchboxes. Lots and lots of presents under the Christmas trees depicted in every scenario.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Not applicable.
Our ratings and reviews are informed by child development guidelines. Learn more.

More on Mickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse

What to talk about

Talk to your kids

  • Families can talk about all the presents shown. Are presents really important? Do you get sad when a sibling or a friend gets more presents than you do? Why or why not? Parents might find these tips helpful for discussion.

  • Donald is not in the Christmas spirit at all, which is why Mickey does everything he can think of to cheer him up. What finally cheers Donald up? What cheers you up when you are grouchy? What gets you into the holiday spirit?

  • Mickey and his pals talk a lot about Christmas, without the religious element. How does your family celebrate the season, if you celebrate Christmas? What other holidays are celebrated this time of year? What are your favorite holiday traditions?

What's the story?

What's the story?

Every Disney animated character that any kid has seen in the last 30 years is present at Mickey Mouse's Christmas bash. As everyone prepares to leave, news that the House of Mouse is snowed in for the night circulates. So Mickey decides to present some stories to entertain his guests, who, at times, join in with songs and jokes between the sketches.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

With all of that star power, this movie should have been much better. Instead, it feels like a traffic jam of Disney characters. Beauty and Simba share air time with the Seven Dwarves and Tigger. In fact, the whole production feels rather hectic and thrown together. Showing this movie to your kids at night would be a mistake: it's far too stimulating. Besides, most of the shorts shown here can be found on other DVDs, where they are presented more carefully.

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Director: Roberts Gannaway, Tony Craig
Cast: John Cleese, Robby Benson, Wayne Allwine
Genre: Family and Kids
Run time: 61 minutes
DVD release: November 3, 2009
MPAA Rating: NR
MPAA explanation: Not Rated
This review was written by Joly Herman
 
 

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