Back in the 1980s, American Greetings charmed consumers
everywhere with its Care Bears and Strawberry Shortcake lines. Only slightly less
known was its Holly Hobbie line. The sweet and sparkling girl with the “twinkle
in her eye” gets her own showcase here on a new direct-to-DVD title, however, showing pre-teen girls that
good friends can be found in the most surprising places.
A 44-minute special DVD, Holly
Hobbie: Best Friends Forever is the latest title in an altogether charming little
series (other titles include Surprise
Party, Christmas Wishes and Secret Adventures) starring a new Holly
— with an updated, modern day spirit to go alongside her familiar and timeless
charm. Brought to life in richly back-grounded and colorful style by acclaimed
animators from Nickelodeon, and directed by Mario Piluso and Monte Young, Holly
is voiced by “tween” star Alyson Stoner (The Suite Life of Zack and Cody),
and features a theme song from Grammy-winning singer LeAnn Rimes.
The thinly sketched story centers on 10-year-old Holly and
her friends — Amy and Carrie, members of the Hey Girls Club — as they
experience a few milestones of joy and trepidation. Everyone in their idyllic
hometown of Clover is at first afraid of the person known as the “town witch,”
Annabelle (voiced by Happy Days’ Marion
Ross), until Holly finally faces her fears and takes the time to discover that
the witch is actually a wonderful old lady (and an old friend of her
great-grandmother) who’s actually just in need of some help.
Today’s Holly, the original’s great-granddaughter, is
perfectly poised to befriend a whole new generation of girls. In a sign of the
times, she wears boots and a funky signature cap complete with a touch of
gingham — a nod to the iconic bonnet worn by the classic character. The updated
Holly feels a deep sense of connection to her great-grandmother, and mirrors
her winning personality, creativity and warmth. As such, the character and this
title can be enjoyed by multiple generations together. And hey, between the
shenanigans of Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan, we’re more in need of positive
young female role models than ever.
Housed in a regular Amray case in turn stored in a sturdy
cardboard slipcover, Holly Hobbie is
presented in 1.33:1 full-screen. The DVD includes a selection of all-new bonus
features, including kid-friendly, jump-straight-to sing-alongs to two tunes from
the movie, including LeAnn Rimes’ performance of “Twinkle in Her Eye.” There’s
also a pop quiz game and a Holly Hobbie dress-up interactive game, too. To purchase the title via Amazon, meanwhile, click here.
B (Movie) B- (Disc)