The Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience (2009, Disney) purchase from Amazon: DVD Disney attempts to create the same excitement that surrounded the Beatles with the opening of their new DVD, Jonas Brothers: The Extended Concert Experience. We watch the three brothers, Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas wake up early in the morning for a TV show appearance, we see them banter about like real brothers, making fun of each other and, in Joe’s case, hitting on the cute young woman assigned to cater to their breakfast needs, and then attempt to get through morning NY traffic on their way to the television studio. Trapped in their SUV, the boys decide to get out of their car and run through the streets of Manhattan chased by a swarm of screaming teenage girls, a la A Hard
Read More »Princess Protection Program (2009, Disney) purchase from Amazon: DVD When the DVD for Disney’s latest, Princess Protection Program arrived at the house, my daughter could hardly contain herself. The constant ads on the Disney Channel and the casting of TV stars Selena Gomez (Wizards of Waverly Place) and Demi Lovato (Sonny with a Chance) made it seem like this film was going to be a tweenage masterpiece, or at least something fun. On a Sunday morning while her mom and brother slept in, my daughter and I snuggled up on the couch and watched Princess Protection Program. In the film, Lovato is a Princess Rosalinda, next in line to the throne of Costa Luna. When her country is overthrown by an evil dictator, she is put into the Princess Protection Program, a secret organization funded
Read More »The Jetsons: Season 2, Volume 1 (2009, Warners) purchase from Amazon: DVD Did you know that Star Trek wasn’t the first sci-fi series to develop a life after it was cancelled and earn a new life almost 20 years later? I didn’t. The Jetsons, the first animated family in space, premiered in 1962 as a prime time family show before immediately jumping to Saturday mornings. For over 20 years, the original 24 episodes played endlessly until the show’s producers, animation legends Hanna Barbera, decided to give their fans more adventures of George, Jane, Judy, Elroy and Astro, the family pet. The Jetsons Season 2 premiered in the fall of 1985 and now, the first 21 episodes of season 2 have been released on a 3 disc set, The Jetsons Season 2, Volume 1. The second
Read More »Hatching Pete/Dadnapped: Double Feature (2009, Disney) purchase from Amazon: DVD Are you old enough to remember The Absent Minded Professor? What about the original The Shaggy Dog? Kurt Russell in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes? The Love Bug? That Darn Cat? Although I never saw any of those films in theaters (I’m actually not that old), I vividly recall watching them on The Wonderful World of Disney back in the ’70s. They were innocent films intended for the whole family. The danger was never too dangerous, and the romance never too steamy. When I watch the current crop of made for TV films the Disney Channel produces, films like High School Musical, Jump In! and Minutemen, I recall those simple, well-made movies of long ago (i.e. the ’60s). While the mouse house has all but
Read More »A Plumm Summer (2009, Paramount) purchase from Amazon: DVD Once a week our family tries to hold movie night, generally Saturdays. Popcorn is made and the kids get in their pajamas before we gather on the couch to watch come family friendly film from our library of DVD’s. On occasion we’ll rent something from the video store, but more often than not it’s difficult to find quality entertainment for all four of us to enjoy together. When A Plumm Summer arrived, I was hesitant to watch it with the family for fear it would make for a mediocre movie night. Still, as a filmmaker whose own movie went straight to DVD and who has struggled to get people to watch it, I decided to give the film a chance and get an honest reaction from
Read More »Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Season 7 (2009, Lionsgate) Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the past 25 years, you’ve heard of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or TMNT. You may not know that the turtle with the blue mask is Leonardo, the leader; the turtle wearing the red mask is Raphael, the bad boy; the one in the orange mask is Michelangelo, the party animal; and the turtle donning the purple mask is Donatello, the resident genius. But you should know that they exist, first as a comic book, then as a long running animated television series, then as a series of live action films, then a live action television series, then a new animated series, then a new animated film, and of course, a mother load of merchandising. Ah, the merchandising. If
Read More »iCarly Season 1, Volume 2 (2009, Paramount) purchase from Amazon: DVD Amongst the many teen sitcoms that populate the airwaves, iCarly ranks as one of the best. With a winning cast and well written episodes, the show has plenty pf laughs for kids while rising above the typical sitcom trappings of so many of the other shows aimed at kids. Paramount Video has just released iCarly Season 1, Volume 2, which collects 12 episodes (on 2 DVD’s) from the smash hit series that airs on Nickelodeon. It’s worth your time and money, especially if you have any young girls living in your family. In fact, it was while watching iCarly with my daughter that I came to appreciate how well done the series is. Credit show creator Dan Schneider (The Amanda Show, Zoey 101) for
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