Sesame Street 20 Years and Still Counting Review

Sesame Street 20 Years Old and Counting


Sesame Street 20 Years and Still Counting
is a short and sweet peek into the history of a television show that is and has been watched around the world. Hosted by Bill Cosby and guest starring Kermit the Frog, this show will take you back to the years when you watched Sesame Street and at the same time give you a bit of background information about why Sesame Street was created.

I thoroughly enjoyed it. I laughed and I cried and I and was disappointed when it was over. I remember watching Sesame Street extensively when I was young. I remember watching it, too, when I was a bit older but I did not know until today that Sesame Street was written to appeal to adults and children because the producers wanted parents to watch the program with their little ones.

If you were or are a fan of Sesame Street, I highly recommend this DVD.

If you know someone who has fond memories of the program and the gang, this would be an excellent and inexpensive gift idea.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order your copy of Sesame Street 20 Years and Still Counting Review.

The Muppets Movie Parody Calendar 2012

The Muppets Movie Parody Calendar 2012


FOUND. The perfect Christmas gift for anyone who loves The Muppets and the movies in general.

The Muppets once again are spoofing the movies. They have been doing that all along with their trailers for the new 2011 Muppet movie and now they have taken the parody theme to the entire next year.

The 2012 Muppets Movie Poster Parodies calendar includes thirteen images from the movies and you are going to love it. Think The Godfather, but insert Dog at the beginning of the word and Rowlf as Marlon Brando. Think of the Sound of Music but alter the title a bit to The Sow of Music and insert Miss Piggy in the lead role. Finally, I love the image of Fozzie Bear as Tom Cruise in Mission Improbable. You will, too.

Head directly to Amazon to order your copy by clicking right here.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda


Johnny Depp in The Man Who Cried (2001) Movie Review

Johnny Depp in The Man Who Cried (2001) Movie Review

The Man Who Cried is a 2001 film with an all-star cast that includes Christina Ricci, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro and Johnny Depp. If you enjoy Johnny Depp, you will definitely want to see this movie, even though he is not the main character. He may not have been the main character but he was definitely unforgettable in this bittersweet film and I thought he even came close to stealing the show.

The Man Who Cried starts out in 1927 in a small Russian village with a young girl who becomes separated from her family and winds up raised in England by an English family. As a singer and dancer, she winds up in living in Paris where she is increasingly unsafe as the Nazi Germans gain strength.

Throw into the story an unscrupulous operatic tenor, a cabaret dancer and a mysterious gypsy stranger and you have a beautifully done movie, an “alluring tale of passion, intrigue and betrayal.”

I loved it, though I see by mixed reviews online, which means that this movie is not for everyone. If you love Johnny Depp and you enjoy romantic movies with a historic bent, you should enjoy The Man Who Cried.

I watched it on an old VHS tape and wished for better because the film was beautiful and I found myself imagining how lovely it would be if it were cleaned up on blu-ray disc. However, it turns out that The Man Who Cried is not available on blu-ray. It is, of course, available on DVD from Amazon by clicking right here.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Johnny Depp The Rum Diary Movie Review (2011).
The Five Best Johnny Depp Movies. 

Got Zombie Mugs?

In the spirit of the rapidly approaching Halloween celebrations, I would like to share with you this lovely (or should I say horrible) Zombie mug. This handsome black mug will hold 15 ounces of your favorite steaming hot...coffee.

As the individual who has it for sale says, you need to own this mug so that your friends and families know where you stand on the subject of Zombies and so that they will know that they can turn to you when the Zombie Apocalypse comes.

Unfortunately, this Zombie coffee mug is no longer available but you can find more horror-filled, fun and funny mugs here.

See you
at the movies!
Boo-renda

Zombieland Movie Review

Zombieland Movie Review
The days when I used to watch Stephen King horror movies have passed. No longer am I a fan of horror movies.  However, I recently watched Zombieland because I was the only one in my family who did not want to watch it on movie night. (Having a family of males in their late teens will do this to you.)
Imagine then, my surprise when I enjoyed Zombieland and I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Yes, I cringed at all of the blood and gore. Don't forget that Zombies do eat brains.

What I wasn't expecting was to laugh and to laugh quite a bit.  I expect the combination of horror and humour is partly responsible for the somewhat surprising popularity of this movie.

You can read my full review of Zombieland by clicking right here.

In terms of the Blu-ray disc, Blu-ray.com says that the Blu-ray version "excels in every area" and that it has amazing picture quality, an impressive soundtrack and lots of 'ooey-gooey' extras.  They rate it HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for every Blu-ray movie collection. I’d temper that with the thought that Zombieland is not a movie for everyone but if this is your genre, or if you are willing to live with the blood and gore, then you should add this movie to your collection.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Click here to buy Zombieland from Amazon.
Or here to read my review of the movie.

Zombieland T.V. Show

Interesting news in yesterday's newspaper and that was that the movie Zombieland is going to be made into a television series. My almost adult son was thrilled that this would mean TWO zombie t.v. series.

Apparently, Zombieland was originally meant to be a t.v. show but somewhere along the line it became a movie and when it became a movie, some of the interesting ideas were discarded like the Zombie Kill of the Week. There really was supposed to be a Zombie Kill of the Week each and every week.

The new series, which has not actually been confirmed, would feature a half-hour episode each week and would be released in the 2012-2013 television season.

Jesse Eisenberg and Emma Stone, two of the original stars will not be a part of the television series.

Does a new zombie television series interest you?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Click here to buy Zombieland from Amazon.
Or here to read my review of the 2009 Zombieland movie.

Just Like Dad Movie Review

Just Like Dad Movie Review

Just Like Dad is a 1995 Feature Film for Families. It's a simple story of a boy who hurts his dad while trying to figure out how to become more popular with the students at his new school. He learns that although his father is not a big strong guy physically, he has other strengths.

Just Like Dad stars Wallace Shawn, Ben Diskin and Nick Cassavetes. You will probably recognize Wallace Shawn who plays the father. His resume is extensive and includes The Princess Bride, You might also recognize Nick Cassavetes from movies like My Sister's Keeper and The Notebook.

The child star of this movie is Ben Diskin, who no doubt has grown up since he made this movie. I see his more recent works includes voicing for video games and the television show, The Spectacular Spider-Man.

Feature Films for Families are great safe movie choices if you have children in your home. I like the questions that come on the case, to help generate conversation AFTER you watch the movie.

Here's a glimpse at the movie via the movie trailer:


Should you decide to buy this movie from Amazon, you will be pleasantly surprised at HOW affordable it is. A search for Feature Films For Families, turns up an interesting selection no doubt worth consideration.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Buy Just Like Dad from Amazon.
Learn more about picking movies for children.

The Trip (2011) Movie Review


Last night I was left on my own by my family so I pulled a lesser known movie, a British comedy, called The Trip from the shelf. If you have not heard of The Trip, you are to be excused for I had not either.

As a matter of fact, I am not familiar with the actors in this movie -- Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon who, according to the case, play loose versions of themselves. I was, therefore, really surprised to discover a boxed DVD set called, The Steve Coogan Collection, but I digress.

The Trip promises to be interesting on a couple of fronts. First, it is a FOOD movie with two non-foodies sent forth as restaurant critics...and who doesn't love food? Second, it is a TRAVEL movie with these friends travelling to fine restaurants throughout the remote countryside of England.

The tag line, "Eat, drink and try not to kill each other" was apt. Throw any two people together in a moving vehicle for many hours and all will not likely go smoothly. However, it is the continual banter, both when they were arguing and when they were getting along, that kept me watching this film. Well, that and the beautiful geography and the gourmet food offered up, albeit some 'ordinary' food would have been nice, too.  One of the best moments in my humble opinion (at least with regard to food) was the sunny day in England when they were able to sit outside and have a fried breakfast...

Did I say it was funny? It was, with Coogan and Brydon spending the entire trip doing impressions of Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino, Sean Connery and Michael Caine, bickering and entertaining themselves as they went. As reflected in the Amazon customer reviews, Fans of this duo and their prior works really enjoyed the movie. Take a peek for yourself:


If you have seen this movie, make sure to let us know what you think and if you know how we can be picked for a trip into the English countryside reviewing restaurants, make sure to leave that information, too.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Buy The Trip on Amazon.
The New York Times The Trip Review.

The Muppets Movie Etiquette Video Trailer (2011)

Love The Muppets? If you do, you will enjoy this video that they just released at the movie theatres about proper movie theatre etiquette although  I'm pretty certain that a true movie lover like you would NEVER text or talk in the theatre, which is the purpose of this video.

AMC Theatres and Sprint encourage you to "Resist the Urge. Don't Text or Talk in the Movie Theatre."



Honestly, I cannot remember having experienced either of these issues when I have been at the movie theatre. How about you? Have you been at a movie theatre when someone was using their electronic device?  What did you do? What did you think?

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Buy Call Me Mrs. Miracle on DVD

Buy Call Me Mrs. Miracle on DVDCall Me Mrs. Miracle is the sequel to Mrs. Miracle, a 2009 Hallmark movie both starring Doris Roberts as Mrs. Merkle.

In Call Me Mrs. Miracle we find Mrs. Merkle working in a family's department store in New York. The store is struggling and 'Mrs. Miracle' has her work cut out for her when trying to make sure that the family comes together to have a good Christmas.

Fans of Call Me Mrs. Miracle will be thrilled  to discover that this 2010 Hallmark movie has been released on DVD and is available right now from Amazon.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

 

Elizabeth Taylor Auction (2011)

Elizabeth Taylor Auction (2011)
The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor is a celebration of the life and times of Elizabeth Taylor hosted by Christies’ auction house. It began on September 15, 2011, with a series of travelling events and exhibitions, and ends with two auctions in New York on December 14 and 15, 2011.

The first day of the auction is devoted to her jewels, often called The Crown Jewels of Hollywood or, as my local newspaper called them this morning, the "fashion equivalent of King Tut's tomb." This auction includes such pieces as La Peregrina, a pearl worn originally by European queens and the Elizabeth Taylor Diamond both worth millions as well as ‘lesser’ pieces including the wedding bands from her marriages to Richard Burton.

The second day of the auction is devoted to Elizabeth Taylor’s collection of one-of-a-kind haute couture gowns, pret-a-porter fashions, coats, capes, handbags, costume jewelry and shoes and will include a couple of wedding gowns. Apparently, her closet opens to reveal an amazing selection of famous clothing items that Taylor chose herself for certain events in her life, like the dress she wore to the Taming of the Shrew royal performance in 1967.

Literally a jeans-and-tee kind of lady myself, I’m not sure why I am fascinated by Elizabeth Taylor’s life. I would really love to attend the auction in New York although simply as a spectator wanting a better look into the late actress’s spectacular collection. It would be nice if some of Elizabeth Taylor’s pieces wound up in a museum of some sort so that they could be shared with the public, which would be true to Taylor’s feeling that she was the only a temporary guardian of these pieces and that they were meant to be shared with everyone.

I enjoyed learning about her jewelry in the book called My Love Affair With Jewelry. If you yourself are interested in learning more about her jewelry collection, the pieces in it and how she came to own them, you can read more about that book by clicking right here. I understand it to be the only book about her life that she wrote herself.

Quick Links:

Buy Elizabeth Taylor’s My Love Affair With Jewlery on Amazon.

Dog Gone Movie Review (2008)

Dog Gone Movie Review (2008)

Dog Gone is a straight-to-DVD family movie that was produced by Screen Media Films and Unversial Studios and released on October 7, 2008.  It's not a big budget film but it is an entertaining adventure that includes one 12-year old boy, one dog and three bumbling jewel thieves.

If you have a youngster in your home who loves building things, they will love the contraptions that Owen uses to thwart the thieves.  (The contraptions remind me of those that were used in the 2009 movie Hotel for Dogs, although done here on a lower budget.)

Of course, if you love dogs you will love this movie and if you're a dog lover who cannot stand to see a dog hurt, be aware that there is a small section near the end where the dog is in a perilous situation but that all turns out fine in the end.

It is a family movie, rated PG for bullying (which does get nasty), rude humour (also known in my world as bathroom humor), language, mild threat and action. However, if you are like me, and you know how much your children enjoy bathroom humour, you're willing to put up with some of that.

The comedy is over the top and at times outrageous and the trailer makes that very clear.  I particularly enjoyed the antics of the obviously not-real forest critters.

Note that this film was titled Diamond Dog Caper outside of North America.

See you
at the movies!
Brenda

Quick Links:

Order Dog Gone from Amazon.
The Five Best Dog Movies on Blu-ray

Gooby 2009 Family Movie Review

If you have ever faced a move with your family, you know how they can cause your children worries and concerns. Gooby shares the story of one family’s move and an 11-year old boy named Willy.

When Willy arrives at his new home and is lonely, he wishes for someone to save him and his teddy bear, Gooby, comes to life. Gooby is a companion who at first is frightened of much in the human world but, after some adventures with Willy, winds up bringing the boy and father together.

Gooby is a Canadian film that was produced in 2009 by Coneybeare Stories. It features the voice of Robbie Coltrane, who played Rubeus Hagrid in Harry Potter. Willy is played by Matthew Knight, a young Canadian actor who can also be seen in the popular Good Witch Hallmark movie series. Knight won a Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a DVD Film for his role in Gooby. Rounding out the cast are David James Elliott as the father, Ingrid Kavelaars as the mother and Eugene Levy as the nerdy teacher.

In terms of who should watch Gooby, it is rated PG for some mild rude humor and bullying and it contains bathroom humour, which seems to crop up in these family movies and which your children will love. It is essentially a clean and simple family movie that shares smiles and lessons about growing up.

Gooby didn't fair well with the critics but that doesn`t mean it isn`t a nice, family friendly movie. I recommend checking out the Amazon customer reviews and the movie trailer:



My son who had a prized teddy bear and endured a few military movies would have liked this movie when he was younger. If you watch this with your children expecting a nice story and not a blockbuster movie, you might be surprised. A good choice for a family movie, one you might choose to rent rather than own.

See you
at the movies!

Buy or rent Gooby from Amazon.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows 2012 Wall Calendar

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows 2012 Wall Calendar
Harry Potter fans will love this 2012 Deathly Hallows calendar. It will help extend the Harry Potter fun for another 12 months.

It is actually a 19 month calendar, which started in September.

Every month you will have another visit with what was possibly the most important movie of the decade...


See you
at the movies!

Brenda

Quick Links:

See Amazon's complete collection of Harry Potter calendars.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 75th Anniversary Special Edition 2012 Wall Calendar

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 75th Anniversary Special Edition 2012 Wall Calendar

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs 75th Anniversary 2012 Wall Calendar

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs  2012 Wall Calendar

Snow White celebrates her Diamond Anniversary in 2012 and fans of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Walt Disney will definitely want to add the 2012 calendar to their collection. It's a keepsake calendar designed to help celebrate this special anniversary.

A typical twelve month calendar, this one features large 13 by 15 inch pages, packed with beautiful color images.  The pages have been given a linen look adding to the elegant feel of this calendar.

The environmentally conscious will be glad to know that Snow White's calendar is printed on FSC certified paper that is 100% recyclable, using soy and vegetable inks.

What fun to share 2012 with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Find the 75th Anniversary Snow White calendar here on Amazon or now that it is out of production, you might try here on eBay.

The Lion King Diamond Edition (2011) Review

The Lion King Diamond Edition (2011) Review


Well, it is here at last or it will be in a couple of days on October 4, 2011 and the advance reviews indicate that the experts are more than a little impressed with the quality with which Disney has transferred The Lion King to blu-ray disc.

The Movie Mom said that the re-release of The Lion King in 3D roared at the movie theatres during the limited, two-week run that it was given, shocking everyone by out grossing Brad Pitt's new baseball movie, Moneyball.

In general, High-Def Digest loves The Lion King, saying "The Lion King is Disney's greatest achievement."

My morning newspaper, The Ottawa Citizen, said that The Diamond Edition of The Lion King "is the most sophisticated to date, with a completely restored theatrical version, updated soundtrack and more."

Blu-ray.com said, "Once again, Disney has treated one of its animated classics like royalty and the results are nothing short of spectacular." We should be pleased that Disney is going to lengths to make sure these classic animated movies are upgraded in the best possible quality for our children and for generations to come.

I believe that The Lion King Diamond Edition is destined to be found under many Christmas trees this year. What do you think? Is there a copy of this movie in your future?

See you
at the movies!

Brenda

Quick Links:

Read more about The Lion King Diamond Edition.
Buy your copy of The Lion King Diamond Edition from Amazon.

DISCLOSURE

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase from Amazon, eBay or Etsy through a link.



“As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and Etsy (Awin) Affiliate, I earn from purchases.” Disclosure Statement

X