Product Description

Kaitlyn Maher (TV’s America’s Got Talent, Santa Buddies (voice)), Madison Pettis (Disney Channel’s Cory in the House, The Game Plan), VOICE:  Zachary Gordon (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Santa Buddies (voice))

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68788 in DVD
• Brand: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
• Released on: 2010-11-23
• Rating: G (General Audience)
• Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Format: Multiple Formats
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 88 minutes

Features

• SEARCH FOR SANTA PAWS, THE - 2-DISC BD COMBO PACK (BLU-RAY DISC)

Amazon.com
A sort of an Annie meets Santa Buddies, The Search for Santa Paws is a musical production that tells the story of how Santa and a young dog named Paws became best friends, and together forever changed the lives of a houseful of New York City orphans and a host of other New Yorkers. The film chronicles Paws's desperate attempts to find Santa when they're separated in New York City, the important roles both Santa and Paws play in spreading the Christmas spirit to children and adults alike, and the concern of Mrs. Claus and the elves over Santa and Paws's longer-than-expected absence from the North Pole. The film also has some very dark, potentially distressing scenes in which young orphans are verbally abused, neglected, and unfairly punished, as well as one particularly scary moment when a young girl endangers her life by crawling into a working incinerator. First and foremost a touching story about the power of giving and believing, the film is also a treasure trove of big musical numbers that feature everything from Broadway-style productions to pop-inspired songs and emotionally charged ballads that are nicely performed and choreographed--especially those by Madison Pettis, Kaitlyn Maher, Richard Riehle, and Danny Woodburn. The animation is well done and blends seamlessly with the live action--something that's in stark contrast to some of the poorly handled animated scenes found in the 2009 Santa Buddies. Bonus features include a pop-up storybook narrated by Rosebud of the Buddies movies, a sing-along option for all the songs in the film, and deleted scenes. (Ages 5 and older) --Tami Horiuchi

Video Description
From KIDS FIRST!: If you believe that Christmas time is magical, dogs can talk, elves make toys at the North Pole and Santa Claus does exist then this is the holiday movie for you. It’s is an enjoyable family Christmas story where Santa inspires giving, a cute puppy helps kids in foster care, and a family is formed. The villains are very stereotypical, such as the bumbling dog catcher and the humorless foster mother. Although the young orphan, Quinn, goes out on the streets, it is always under the watchful eye of the older Wilimena. Mrs. Stout, the foster mother is very strict and a bit scary. The one scene with Quinn in the furnace might be considered scary for very young children. There are positive messages of giving to others at Christmas, which can help children and parents create a more giving atmosphere to the holiday times. Santa is still a kind and giving person, even if he has lost his memory. Paws learns to survive on the street with other dogs by helping with his powers. The Huckles take on the challenge of running Hucklebuckle Toy Store for a Christmas season in New York even though they have full lives in Los Angeles. All these are good examples for children to take on challenges and to share with each other. The animation used to express the talking dogs and reindeer is well done. The set for The Hucklebuckle Toy Store truly gives one the feel of an old fashioned toy store. This film might inspire kids to be more giving at Christmas, but it is also just a fun film for the family. Here is what our kid reviewers had to say: "I liked the film because it has a lot of Christmas cheer in it. The story seems very real because there are actually people like the orphanage owner who don't even like Christmas! I think it is pretty cool how realistic the North Pole looked. I can imagine that the North Pole truly looks like that. I like to see different North Poles in Christmas movies, and I thought this was one of the best. The toyshop is simply amazing - all the old fashioned toys are so cool. I love the special effects when the animals talk, I actually believed they were talking. DVD. Ages 5-12. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

Review
Bonus Features Include: Sing Along To Christmas Carols With The Buddies, Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town Music Video --Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

99 of 109 people found the following review helpful.
AVOID this Movie unless you want your kids to cry hysterically
By Opinion192
Short version - Santa gets hit by a car, mugged and almost dies, gets a job in a store and passes out in front of kids and almost dies again. Puppy turns to Stuffed Animal and gets thrown into Incinerator to burn, little girl climbs in after him, New Orphan's parents died and is mistreated. Excellent Christmas Story... Not!

Longer version - My 7 yr old Daughter cried hysterically a few times during this movie. This movie should be rated PG-13, anyone who says their young kids watched this movie and didn't cry was probably because they were too young to understand what was going on or were not paying attention to it, this movie is borderline EVIL for presenting itself as a "Instant Classic".

At the beginning of the movie Santa hears about an old friend who has died, great kids Christmas movie moment #1...

Santa then goes to NYC, He gets hit by a car and gets robbed while laying in the street and then sent to the hospital, the Puppy that is with him is now alone, great kids Christmas movie moment #2...

The main little girl is lead into the Orphanage holding a small angel that her now deceased mom gave her, when asked by other kids where "her" parants were she states "They didn't Make it" and the other Kids think their deceased parents are coming back for them as well (all except one kid, who is the bitter one), great kids Christmas movie moment #3...

A few minutes after the excessively mean orphanage lady leaves, the little girl is on the Fire Escape holding her Angel singing "Who will sing my song to me now?". Later on her Angel gets taken away, great kids Christmas movie moments #4 and 5...

The orphanage boss takes their toys and all Christmas decorations and incinerates them, but this is typical orphanage behaviour so its OK.

The little girl finds the Puppy and takes him inside, the Orphanage lady takes his Christmas gem and blames bitter orphan and then sends the dog and orphan to sleep in the basement where he turns into a Stuffed animal due to the missing stone, great kids Christmas movie moment #6...

So guess who goes in the incinerator in the morning??? Yup the Puppy, but even better yet, the 1st little girl climbs into the incinerator to get the Puppy while it is on, great kids Christmas movie moments #7 and 8... and EXTRA DISNEY POINTS for showing its OK for a 5 year old kid to climb into a burning "oven"...

Classic Christmas Story? 95 Minutes of child torture for the "Timeless Message" at the end? Was it even in the theaters? Seriously, does Disney know what garbage they are putting out?

I normally watch certain movies before letting my Daughter watch but this one was falsely depicted as pleasant and heartwarming... a Disney mistake I will not make again.

AVOID if you don't want to see your kid cry.

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful.
A complete mess...
By NervClaX
My wife bought this movie based solely on the poster outside the Disney store. She thought the dog looked cute. This movie tries WAY too hard to please and falls short in every department.

It's got Santa... a very scary looking Santa. In fact, he looks like one of the Geico cavemen dressed as Santa. I don't know who did his makeup but his face is ghostly pale. For some reason, he wears a bowler hat instead of Santa's traditional red cap. That bothered my son and so my son began whining about it. That bothered me.

Santa visits NYC, gets hit by a cab, gets amnesia, forgets that he is Santa Claus, and finds a job as a toy store Santa. Of course he's great at his new job. The toy store is run by a childless couple. In the meantime, Santa's puppy, "Paws", takes shelter with some singing and dancing orphans straight out of "Annie." Childless couple? Orphans? HOW WILL IT END? The rest is an overly long, goose-chase for Santa and the puppy filled with more expository dialogue than you can shake your angry fist at.

By the time the littlest orphan sheds a tear and asks, "Is Santa going to die?" you'll be sorry you made this purchase. It was only made worse when my son turned to my wife and tearfully asked, "Is Santa going to die?" in the same manner.

"No, son, Santa will be fine... but I think I need more eggnog."

50 of 62 people found the following review helpful.
way too dark
By Day
So glad I previewed this before showing it to children. Lead child a new orphan left in abusive foster home where kids are locked in basement and their toys burned as punishment. Santa hit by car and his magic crystal stolen while he lies in street. In one scene, the girl crawls into a fiery incinerator. Santa almost dies. What child or adult needs this kind of dark story? This is the stuff of nightmares!