Before I rip this thing apart, let me clarify that I do NOT, as many have accused, hate the Disney Company. It's just that they're kind of like what a real-life Godzilla would be like. WAY too big and often making mistakes that shouldn't ever been allowed to happen. This video is one of them.

I got a little disillusioned with the Mouse when their direct-to-video-sequel thing started. They're rumored to have about eight more planned for the next few years. At some point, I guess, somebody decided it would be funny to have EVERY Disney character ever in one movie. And so we have... this THING. This monstrous THING!!!

If the "Snookums and Meat Funny Cartoon Show" couldn't do it for you; if the ZOOG things that stole the Disney Channel couldn't do it for you; heck, if you are *looking forward* to "Back to Neverland"; then this will break you into a weeping blob of protoplasm faster than you can blink. This here is the magic bullet for any Disney detractor. You Disney fans finally know what we Looney Tunes fans went through with "Space Jam".

The only saving grace is that for some reason, some wise fellow decided to use "Pluto's Christmas Tree" and "Mickey's Christmas Carol", in their entirety, to pad out this video. Fast-forward to those parts and only watch them if you are forced to sit through this.

I wasn't satisfied nor content with this Disney holiday special. I bought a VHS copy of it around the time that it was released and I played/viewed it only once, and haven't been interested in viewing it again since. What a waste this is and the money I spent. Because, of course, I was among those who anticipated so much more than what we got instead and was duped into purchasing it, without, at least, trying to search for and read reviews on some site first. More, better stuff could've been done in this and I really like one Amazon reviewer's ideas of how it could've and should've been done a lot better in lieu of the results we did get. How did some Disney people go from the outstanding Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas to the inferiority of this and why couldn't as much perfection be put into this??? Dern whoever came up with this dim idea and didn't even bother applying more effort.

In the main plot of this half of the House of Mouse holiday specials, after a while of watching cartoons starring Mickey Mouse and/or any of his friends, the Disney characters who make up the clientele get ready to leave emcee Mickey's club. But then here's where the one problem ensues as evident and self-explanatory in the title: They're snowbound. Donald Duck isn't into the holiday spirit for some reason or another (this is a loose end that is never tied and explained exactly, and resolved by getting to the bottom of it),so Mickey and the gang try to stir up some holiday cheer in him by showing more cartoons. These include: the Walt era featurette Pluto's Christmas Tree, a few Mickey Mouse Works shorts and Mickey's Christmas Carol. It seems that these take up a majority of the special and these are a waste, since none of them are new (or at lease newer) cartoons, and some of these can already be found on other DVDs (although they're only good if one doesn't already own a VHS/DVD copy that contains Pluto's Christmas Tree, also from one of the Walt Disney Treasures sets and more recently Mickey's Christmas Carol, as part of the Walt Disney Cartoon Classics Favorites line). The Mouse Works featurettes can be seen in two Christmas episodes of House of Mouse as well ("Clarabelle's Christmas List" and "Pete's Christmas Caper"),in addition to that, the parts in the House of Mouse about what the guests wish for Christmas and what they're thankful for would later be recycled in those (if not vise-versa, not so sure which way or how that was done first). And there's the odd moment of one villain, Jafar, saying "It's so nice to see everyone having a good time at the House of Mouse" or something to that effect, which is out of character. The shorts played seem to be taking up more time of getting on the inside of what's happening in the club. Donald does eventually cheer up in the end and the special concludes with the holiday sing-a-long "The Best Christmas Of All".

I hate to say it, but this is horse-feathers. For the aforementioned run down and the reasons giving/explained by some of the other reviewers. I wish I could've gotten the DVD instead (which I know I still can, but not necessarily for this sham-mockery that is supposed to be the prime attraction) for one of the bonus features (which includes the very first HOM episode: "The Stolen Cartoons", which is better). All the above explanations are accurately why I prefer the show to this and the other holiday (Halloween) special, Mickey's House of Villains. I don't recommend this to anyone but some kids who are below the preteen stage and may find this more entertaining than most older viewers. Why must most things Disney touches nowadays turn to scat? What another joke this was by the studio/company. I say just stick with the show.

I don't think Mickey's Magical Christmas:Snowed in at the House of Mouse is the best Christmas movie nor is it among the best Disney has ever done. It is though a decent movie and worth seeing if you like the show House of Mouse(I do),if you love Christmas(once again I do) or if you like Disney(once again I do). This has been compared to House of Villains. I will say I liked them both equally, both had their faults but both have their virtues. I feel Snowed in at the House of Mouse is less rushed and has the better combination of shorts, while House of Villains had the better story and animation.

So what were Snowed in at the House of Mouse's faults? While less rushed, which is in some ways a good thing, the story does drag and does revolve a little too much around the shorts. The animation on the whole is pretty decent, but I did not like how Belle and the Beast were animated, Belle is deflated and Beast is ripped of his majesty. Also, it is a little too short.

However, the animation as I have said apart from Belle and the Beast is decent, there are some nicely drawn characters and the backgrounds are lovely and colourful, and it sticks reasonably true to the animation style of the show like House of Villains does. The animation in the shorts though is better than the animation inside the House of Mouse I feel. The music is very nice too, especially loved the end song, and the ending was better than that of House of Villains(it wasn't as abrupt). There is some nice dialogue, without being too sappy or going overboard with the humour, the voice work is pretty much excellent and it was wonderful seeing Disney characters such as Lumiere, Jiminy Cricket, Ariel, Jafar and Peter Pan again, and Mickey, Donald, Minnie, Daisy and Goofy of course. What made this film though was the cartoons. Donald on Ice was amusing, and matches the humour evident in the early Donald Duck cartoons. Mickey's Christmas Carol and Pluto's Christmas Tree are both Christmas classics, while the take on the Nutcracker was a lot of fun, especially for Donald's Mouse King which was hilarious.

Overall, I liked this film. It's nothing extraordinary, but it is not a bad way to pass an hour or so of your Christmas holiday. 7/10 Bethany Cox