Review: ‘Big Hero 6’ on Digital HD

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 54th animated motion picture Big Hero 6 is now available on all major digital download platforms. I got a copy on iTunes and watched the film and the bonus features using the Disney Movies Anywhere app on my iPhone 5S. I’m happy to report that the film is still just as great on the small screen as it was on the big screen (my original review is here) and the bonus features, although a bit sparse, are beautifully produced, entertaining, and informational.

Here are the bonus features available on the Digital HD version of Big Hero 6:

Shorts

Feast, the fantastic short film that played with the theatrical release of Big Hero 6.
Mickey Mouse in Tokyo Go, one of the new Mickey Mouse shorts produced by Paul Rudish for Walt Disney Television Animation.

Behind the Scenes

“The Origin Story of Big Hero 6: Hiro’s Journey.” Narrated by actress Jamie Chung (the voice of Go Go in the film), the short is a beautifully produced piece with interviews with the filmmakers along with other people involved in the production, including Marvel’s chief creative officer Joe Quesada. This bonus feature has loads of class and style along with great information. My only complaint is that it was too short (but something is better than nothing at all).

“Big Animator 6: The Characters Behind the Characters.” Big Hero 6 head of animation Zach Parrish joins with five of the film’s animation supervisors–Doug Bennett, Nathan Engelhard, Jason Figliozzi, Michael Franceschi, and Brent Homman–to discuss the animation of the film’s cast of characters. The voice actors are also highlighted, but the focus is on the fantastic animation team that brought the film’s memorable characters. This is a really great format and I hope that Walt Disney Animation Studios will continue to produce these types of bonus features in the future.