Movie Review: Prep & Landing DVD

What happens when one of Santa's little helpers is bored with his job and sits back with a hot cup of cocoa and one one of Santa's cookies when he's supposed to be preparing for Santa's arrival at a little boys home?

Film making 16/25

Video 18/25

Audio 18/25

Bonus Features 10/25

Total 62/100

Prep & Landing stars two of Santa's little helpers, Wayne the seasoned veteran at preparing for Santa's arrival at good little boys and girls houses with newcomer Lanny. Wayne has been on the job for 227 years, preparing the landing sight, making sure all the creatures are not stirring and checking the temperature of the milk so it's just right for Santa.

Wayne has been working so long at his job he is sure he is ready for a promotion and one is opening up that everyone thinks he will get but his old partner is promoted over him. Wayne is no longer the dedicated and confident worker making sure things go right for Santa when he is given Lanny to show the ropes to, yet another trainee.

Wayne arrives per usual protocol, extinguishing the fire before coming down the chimney and lets Lanny take over the routine while he enjoys a snack and cool glass of milk. Lanny handles things well until weather and an awake kid puts a damper on Wayne's relaxation, the weather worsens and the child starts snapping pictures of the elves.

Wayne needs to take control of the situation and with the weather worsening he just has to get Santa to this house after all, this kid just needs a good Christmas. Wayne does get things handled and Santa does deliver as promised, Wayne also finds a new interest in his current job.

Disney has released the animated CGI Christmas special which is a fun and now almost classic kids show but the cost may not be worth a purchase for this 22 minute short.

The Prep & Landing DVD has the Prep & Landing short, two other animated CGI shorts that are even shorter and a couple of cartoon shorts as well. The shorts Operation: Secret Santa is seven minutes and Tiny's Big Adventure is even less less for some quick laughs but not really worth a price tag of $15.

The three other additional features North Pole News, Kringle Academy and North Pole Commercials are all a bit like commercials but are cartoons dressed to look like old commercials. All three are more filler than anything kids would be interested in, kind of something they created quickly to add to the DVD to justify the price tag.

Seriously, the additional content all seems like the boss said add something to the main 22 minute short so we can this as a DVD. All but the two shorts are less than two minutes and seems just like they whipped it up to add to the DVD.

All the features and extras are decent animated CGI and cartoons with no problems including audio and video quality. The extras are just too short and the main content of the DVD is only 22 minutes so buying this at the same price as a full length feature is not really worth it.

I just can't put a recommendation on Prep & Landing for the cost but if you can find it for $5 or less it would make a great stocking stuffer for kids.