Muppets join 'Express,' 'Sky High' for holiday release

Here are some new-to-DVD shows that are — mostly — family friendly.

• "The Polar Express" (Warner, 2004, G, $29.95, two discs). One of the problems with computer animation is that realistic human faces have not yet been mastered; they tend to look like people wearing stocking masks.

But if you can get past that, "The Polar Express" is an enjoyable ride — and I do mean ride. Especially those incredible shots of the title train skidding on the ice.

In case you somehow missed it, the story has a young boy who doubts Santa's existence being whisked away with other children to the North Pole via a fantasy train. Tom Hanks provides several voices, most prominently the train's conductor, who also looks like him . . . if he was wearing a stocking mask.

Extras: Separate widescreen and full-frame editions, deleted song, making-of featurettes, music video, interactive games, trailer, language and subtitle options (English, French, Spanish), chapters; DVD-Rom applications. (Also available in single-disc version, $28.98.)

• "Sky High" (Disney, 2005, PG. $29.99). Powerless Michael Angarano goes to superhero high school in this fantasy comedy, which may bring to mind "The Incredibles." It's not that good, but it's not bad, with Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston as his superhero parents and a number of familiar faces in support, from Lynda Carter to Cloris Leachman to Bruce Campbell.

Extras: Separate widescreen and full-frame editions, alternate opening, making-of featurettes, bloopers, music video, trailers, language options (English, French, Spanish), subtitle options (English, French), chapters.

• "The 12 Dogs of Christmas" (Screen Media, 2005, G, $14.98). When she was 7, Emma Kragen came up with a parody of the holiday song "The 12 Days of Christmas," which became the popular book "The 12 Dogs of Christmas." This made-for-video film includes that parody at the end of a story about a young girl sent to live in a town that has banned dogs during the Great Depression. Cute low-budget yarn with uneven performances — and at 107 minutes it's way too long — but children may enjoy it. Directed and co-written by Kieth Merrill

Extras: Widescreen, making-of featurette (by 14-year-old Emma Kragen, author of the "12 Dogs" book, optional English subtitles, chapters.