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| Pollyworld | |
| Universal // Unrated // $19.98 // November 14, 2006 | |
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| Review by Lacey Worrell | posted November 26, 2006 |
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Much like the MyScene and Bratz DVDs, PollyWorld is a video tie-in to the popular girls' toy, this one called Polly Pocket, which features tiny, plastic dolls with snap-on clothing. In this movie, Polly and her good friends, The Pockets, are getting ready to compete on their favorite reality show, "Roll Like That!" at the PollyWorld amusement park. Problems abound, however, when the girls must face down their mean, clique-ish classmates, led by insincere ringleader Beth. Polly is also ambivalent about her father's impending marriage to her soon-to-be stepmother, Lorelai.
The opening of PollyWorld is almost exactly like the MyScene movie, so if you own that, it may be difficult to tell the two apart. That said, it is far less vapid, as it addresses very real issues to girls, such as getting along with other girls and creating identities outside of cliques. There are many mentions of high-tech devices such as PDAs and instant messaging, which keeps the dialogue fresh and current. Speaking of dialogue, the writers go a little too far when they incorporate such cringe-inducing words like "supertastic" and "spectabulous" into the script. The film deserves major kudos for incorporating a topic such as remarriage into the plot, but based on the questionable actions of Polly's stepmother, who isn't as nice as she pretends to be, parents in a new or impending marriage may want to view those parts first in order to evaluate whether this film might trigger some painful emotions in their own kids.
Girls from ages seven to about eleven will love protagonist Polly, a sincere but privileged girl who rides around in a limo, and has her own band, her own amusement park, and even a pink cell phone. Moms and Dads may want to watch along with their daughters in order to discuss some of the relevant themes raised by the plot, such as step-parenting, personal fears, and the difficulties of friendship.
The DVD
Video:
The incredibly colorful world of Polly and her friends will undoubtedly appeal to little girls. This bright film, presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, is visually appealing from start to finish.
Sound:
The sound, featuring an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track as well as a French Dolby Digital 2.0 track and English, Spanish, and French subtitles, is quite good. The musical numbers feature especially vibrant sound.
Extras:
There are many included extras on this disc. The first is The Extravenger features a two-level scavenger hunt where players must navigate the amusement park in order to complete tasks like stretching licorice around PollyWorld, paddle a raft upstream, and do cannonball jumps into water. This game is difficult to navigate, but in a challenging, rather than frustrating, way. Another special feature is the PDA Profiler game, where viewers answer multiple questions about their personal style in order to find out what character they are most like; this one will completely engage viewers, who will thrill to find out whether they are the "ultimate girly girl" or a "fantabulous friend." The final special feature that can be accessed on the DVD portion of the disc is a music video for the song "Rock This Town," but there are additional activities and games related to the Polly Pocket Fashion Magazine that are available through the DVD-ROM section that can be accessed through a PC. This section allows girls to create their own fashion magazine, using pictures of their own and design outfits.
The special features are incredibly high-quality and appear to be very well thought out. Their presence, in addition to the generous length of the film itself, makes for a great experience.
Final Thoughts:
A great investment for any girl's DVD collection; this is a top-notch release.