Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection

When it comes to animation, nobody does it better than Disney. Their animation shorts have become synonymous with playing before their feature films, just as much as audiences can expect to see a post-credits scene after any Marvel film. Watching these short films has been somewhat difficult, however, as you either have to see the latest Disney film in theaters or purchase the Blu-ray and hope its one of the included bonus features. That changes with the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection, which compiles 12 of the studio’s best animation shorts onto a single Blu-ray for easy viewing.

The Short Films Collection includes the following animation shorts from Disney, ranging from the early days of 2002 all the way up to as recent as a March of this year:

• John Henry
• Lorenzo
• The Little Matchgirl
• How To Hook Up Your Home Theater
• Tick Tock Tale
• Prep & Landing: Operation Secret Santa
• The Ballad Of Nessie
• Tangled Ever After
• Paperman
• Get A Horse!
• Feast
• Frozen Fever

The animation styles are as varied as the stories. From hand-drawn cells to CGI animation, these 12 shorts highlight the incredible talent Disney has employed since the turn of the century. I was familiar with many of the recent shorts like the Oscar-winning Paperman and Feast or ones based on previous feature films like Tangled Ever After or Frozen Fever. It’s the older and lesser known shorts like John Henry, Lorenzo, and The Little Matchgirl that I was most intrigued by, mostly because it’s become near impossible to watch them before now.

Every short has a brief intro from its directors and/or producers involved who provide insight into the making-of process and fun little bits of trivia. Did you know that The Ballad Of Nessie took the longest to make at nearly three years or that they actually had puppy days at the office for Feast? I didn’t either. When most of the attention is on Disney’s big tentpole films, it’s nice to see the smaller shorts getting some love, too.

The Blu-ray also includes a discussion with all the directors and producers at Disney Animation Studios that is hosted by comedian and Big Hero 6 voice actor T.J. Miller. It’s a fun little featurette that highlights the people working behind the scenes to bring these characters and worlds to life.

If you’re a fan of Disney, animation, or simply good storytelling, the Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Films Collection is a must-own. It’s an amazing collection of fantastic shorts that appeal to everyone and shows that Disney really is the king when it comes to animation.