Voice cast: Wilmer Valderrama
Running time: 46 minutes

Handy Manny is a Playhouse Disney (now Disney Junior) series targeted at preschoolers and is set in the quaint town of Sheetrock Hills and follows the adventures of handyman Manny Garcia (Valderrama of That '70s Show) and his cast of talking tools.

This “full-length” feature was a primetime special that first aired in October 2009 and which has now been released on DVD.

To effectively write a review for a film aimed at little kids, I again resorted to getting some insights from a highly-experienced individual, namely my almost three-year-old nephew Adithya. I thought I would be introducing him to a new character but he was way ahead of me on that score and was in fact watching a weekly episode of the same series on Astro when I brought this DVD over to his house.

In this film, Handy Manny and his tool friends embark on a road trip back to Manny’s home for a big family reunion. Pat the Hammer however, decides to go on a personal quest to locate his own family after seeing a poster of another distinctly familiar looking hammer on a poster at a store. He is joined by Squeeze and Flicker as they get separated from Manny and the rest and end up lost on a wild goose chase.

Meanwhile, Manny and gang make a detour from their original plans and go in search of Pat, Squeeze and Flicker, helping people along the way by fixing things while getting help in return.

Along the way, Manny teaches kids that families come in all shapes and sizes and is not necessarily only made up of relatives. It also includes all the people you love and spend time with. It’s a simple message, filled with bright colours and exuberant songs (the joyful title track Rolling is performed by Los Lobos), and even lessons in Spanish that might expand a child’s learning experience.

The DVD comes with an extra episode A Very Handy Holiday which can be watched normally or in interactive mode.

To sum it up, I think this DVD would be perfect for little kids as it teaches lessons in cooperation, friendship and family, as well as cultural and gender diversity. But most of all because my nephew, and consultant, thoroughly enjoyed the film. - Review by S.N.