Mickey and Pooh Learn Well-Worn Lessons for the Holidays

Disney is ushering in the holiday season with two new animated videos: “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas” and “Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving” ($23 each).

Narrated by Kelsey Grammer, “Once Upon a Christmas” features such beloved Disney stars as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Pluto, Donald and Daisy Duck, and Huey, Duey and Louie in three Christmas parables.

In “Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas,” Huey, Duey and Louie realize what life would be like if every day was Christmas. In “A Very Goofy Christmas,” Goofy and his son Max learn about the true meaning of the holiday after a visit by “Santy” Claus. And in “Mickey and Minnie’s Gift of the Magi,” an updated version of the 1906 O. Henry classic, Mickey and Minnie find that love is the greatest gift they could give each other.

Though kids will probably enjoy the tales, the special charm of vintage Disney animated features is not in evidence here. The animation seems too slick and the stories a tad too pat. The Mickey Mouse segment is the best of the lot because it has an old-fashioned grace and sweetness. Plus, it’s always great to see Pluto in action. Figaro, the adorable feline from “Pinocchio,” also puts in a fine supporting performance in this installment.

“Winnie the Pooh: Seasons of Giving” is quite endearing for children and adults. The 70-minute holiday adventure features three tales about sharing, being thankful for what you have and the importance of spending the holiday with those you love. And, of course, it’s hard to resist A.A. Milne’s beloved Pooh and his pals from the Hundred Acre Wood. David Warner narrates.

Young girls will probably adore “Passport to Paris” (Warner, $20), the latest direct-to-video starring those twin 13-year-old phenoms, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, who have already sold 14 million videos. Adults, though, may have more fun shopping, doing housework, mowing the lawn or changing the oil on the car.

In this weak comedy, Mary-Kate and Ashley (who also were executive producers) play identical twin sisters who hang out at the mall and are moony-eyed over two of their school’s cutest boys. During spring break, they are sent abroad to Paris--their grandfather just happens to be the U.S. ambassador to France. During their week in the City of Light, they fall in love with two French boys and loosen up their grandfather’s stuffy assistant, Jeremy, who ends up falling in love with a model. Even the scenes of Paris, though, can’t save this movie for anyone older than 15.