Family-friendly fare now on DVD

These family-friendly shows lead off with a pair that were produced by Salt Lake-based talent.

"The Wild Stallion" (HaleStone, 2009, G, $16.96). Local filmmaker Craig Clyde's latest stars Miranda Cosgrove, of the Nickelodeon channel's "iCarley" series (though this was filmed before she got that gig).

Cosgrove plays a teen city slicker who yearns to take photos of horses in the wild. She's also curious about the legend of a black stallion that is much talked about, although no one's actually seen the animal.

She and her country-savvy pal (Danielle Chuchran) find the wild horses, including the mysterious black stallion, only to discover thieves are rounding them up for drug experiments.

The impressive adult cast includes Connie Sellecca as a widowed rancher, Fred Ward as Cosgrove's father, Paul Sorvino as the local sheriff and Robert Wagner as the chief bad guy. You may also recognize local actors KC Clyde, in a comic role, and Corbin Allred, atypically playing a villain. Sam Cardon contributes a nicely understated score.

Extras: widescreen, music video, photo gallery, trailers

"Supersonic Saints" (Deseret Book, 2009, $21.95). Local filmmaker Scott Freebairn helmed this documentary, adapted from the two books by popular LDS author/speaker John Bytheway. The writer also hosts these engaging stories of four LDS pilots, accentuated by Merrill Jenson's stirring score.

Aimed at a Mormon audience, the stories here tell how faith pulled three of flyers through potentially fatal combat missions and bolstered a fourth in a record-setting around-the-world flight. The pilots tell their own stories, and each is articulate and sincere. There are also more faith-promoting anecdotes among the bonus features.

Extras: widescreen, featurettes

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (Warner/Blu-ray, 1965, $29.99). The classic "Peanuts" animated holiday short is spruced up to a hi-def gleam in this excellent reissue, which also features the DVD debut of "It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown" (1992).

Extras: full frame, featurette, trailers; includes Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" (Warner/Blu-ray, 1966, $29.99). Another classic cartoon gets the Blu-ray treatment, the timeless Dr. Seuss holiday story narrated by Boris Karloff (who also voices the Grinch).

Extras: full frame, featurettes, trailers; combo pack includes Blu-ray, DVD and digital copies