Jodie Resther is known best for her role of Kiki in “Are You Afraid of the Dark?”. She is also the voice of Francine Alice Frensky in the PBS Kids series “Arthur” for over 20 years.
Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jodie about “Are You Afraid of the Dark” and her voice over work in “Arthur”.
When we heard New Kids were touring with the likes of Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Naughty By Nature, we just new we had to be there! This was the show that all girls, and boys, who grew up in the 80s, only dreamed about! The Amway Center in Orlando, FL was hopping and all of the performers were on fire and the energy was just unbelievable. This show did not disappoint!
Illtown Sluggaz made sure the crowd was pumped as they played a set of songs every person at Amway could sing and dance along to! When New Kids came out, they kept that energy going until their final bow! New Kids set included hits like: “Dirty Dancing,” “Hangin’ Tough,” “Remix,” and “Block Party.” Throughout their sets, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany took to stages A and B and each took turns singing their hits. Salt-N-Pepa came out and absolutely brought the house down with their hits : “Push It,” “Whatta Man,” “Let’s Talk About Sex,” and “Shoop.” Naughty By Nature got the crowd hyped with “O.P.P,” “Jump Around,” and “Hip Hop Hooray.”
The entire tour came out at the end to sing along to “80s Baby” and man it was fun watching this group enjoy being on stage together! The concert was great as every act sang throughout the entire show. The energy levels never dropped and the fun never stopped! This concert was incredible! Here’s to many more mixtape tours!!
RELEASE NEW TRACK
80s BABY
FEATURING ALL TOUR ACTS:
SALT-N-PEPA, NAUGHTY BY NATURE, DEBBIE GIBSON & TIFFANY
Tickets On Sale to the General Public Starting Friday, October 12
American Express® Presale Begins Tomorrow
NEW YORK, NY (October 8, 2018) – Today New Kids On The Block, the multiplatinum selling pop super-group, unveiled an epic lineup for their highly anticipated 2019 tour. NKOTB took to the Today Show plaza to reveal The MixTape Tour with very special guests Salt-N-Pepa, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson and Naughty by Nature. The five iconic pop and hip-hop acts will hit the road together for the first time ever on a 53-city tour across North America next summer.
Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, October 12th at Ticketmaster.com. American Express® Card Members can purchase tickets before the general public beginning Tuesday, October 9th at 10am local time through Thursday, October 11th at 10pm local time.
To celebrate the event, NKOTB surprised fans by dropping an epic, throwback track, “80s Baby” featuring their new touring partners, Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty By Nature, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany. The track takes listeners on a nostalgic yet refreshingly modern and fun ride through 80s song references and fresh verses- just a small glimpse into the party that will be The MixTape Tour. Stream the song HERE.
With over 100 million combined records sold worldwide, NKOTB, Salt-N-Pepa, Naughty by Nature, Tiffany and Debbie Gibson will fill arenas with hit after hit when they take to the stage next summer. Always upping the ante, NKOTB have packaged the ultimate lineup for a once in a lifetime live show experience. The group will return to the stage after 2018’s touring hiatus to perform fan favorite number one hits like “Hangin’ Tough,” “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever),” and “Step By Step”. When tour mates Salt-N-Pepa, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany and Naughty by Nature hit the stage, they bring with them top chart hits and legendary catalogues to keep fans out of their seats all night. The tour is sure to be one of the can’t miss events of the summer featuring an unforgettable night full of smashes spanning across generations.
NKOTB made the announcement on the heels of their SOLD OUT Apollo Theater show celebrating the 30th anniversary of their hit packed, breakout album Hangin’ Tough. The special one night only engagement sold out within minutes of onsale and saw NKOTB gracing Harlem’s famed Apollo stage for the first time since they debuted “Please Don’t Go Girl” at the Apollo’s notoriously tough amateur night. The career defining album, Hangin’ Tough produced hits like “Please Don’t Go Girl,” “You Got It (The Right Stuff)”, “I’ll Be Loving You (Forever)”, and “Cover Girl.” The crowd erupted when the band confirmed on stage that Hangin’ Tough will get a special anniversary re-issue in early 2019 with new, never been released music.
Produced by Live Nation, The MixTape Tour will embark on its three month journey beginning May 2nd in Cincinnati, OH and make stops in Nashville, Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta and more, before wrapping July 14th in Hollywood, FL. See full itinerary below.
THE MIXTAPE TOUR DATES:
| DATE | CITY | VENUE |
| Thursday, May 2, 2019 | Cincinnati, OH | U.S. Bank Arena |
| Saturday, May 4, 2019 | Cleveland, OH | Quicken Loans Arena |
| Sunday, May 5, 2019 | Indianapolis, IN | Bankers Life Fieldhouse |
| Tuesday, May 7, 2019 | Kansas City, MO | Sprint Center |
| Wednesday, May 8, 2019 | St. Louis, MO | Enterprise Center |
| Thursday, May 9, 2019 | Nashville, TN | Bridgestone Arena |
| Friday, May 10, 2019 | Memphis, TN | FedEx Forum |
| Saturday, May 11, 2019 | New Orleans, LA | Smoothie King Center |
| Monday, May 13, 2019 | Corpus Christi, TX | American Bank Center |
| Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center |
| Thursday, May 16, 2019 | San Antonio, TX | AT&T Center |
| Friday, May 17, 2019 | Dallas, TX | American Airlines Center |
| Saturday, May 18, 2019 | Oklahoma City, OK | Chesapeake Energy Arena |
| Tuesday, May 21, 2019 | El Paso, TX | UTEP Don Haskins Center |
| Wednesday, May 22, 2019 | Phoenix, AZ | Talking Stick Resort Arena |
| Thursday, May 23, 2019 | San Diego, CA | Viejas Arena |
| Friday, May 24, 2019 | Anaheim, CA | Honda Center |
| Saturday, May 25, 2019 | Las Vegas, NV | Mandalay Bay Events Center |
| Sunday, May 26, 2019 | Los Angeles, CA | Hollywood Bowl |
| Tuesday, May 28, 2019 | Bakersfield, CA | Rabobank Arena |
| Wednesday, May 29, 2019 | San Jose, CA | SAP Center |
| Thursday, May 30, 2019 | Sacramento, CA | Golden 1 Center |
| Saturday, June 1, 2019 | Tacoma, WA | Tacoma Dome |
| Sunday, June 2, 2019 | Portland, OR | Moda Center |
| Tuesday, June 4, 2019 | Boise, ID | Taco Bell Arena |
| Thursday, June 6, 2019 | Salt Lake City, UT | Vivint Smart Home Arena |
| Friday, June 7, 2019 | Denver, CO | Pepsi Center |
| Saturday, June 8, 2019 | Lincoln, NE | Pinnacle Bank Arena |
| Sunday, June 9, 2019 | Des Moines, IA | Wells Fargo Arena |
| Tuesday, June 11, 2019 | St. Paul, MN | Xcel Energy Center |
| Wednesday, June 12, 2019 | Milwaukee, WI | Fiserv Forum |
| Thursday, June 13, 2019 | Grand Rapids, MI | Van Andel Arena |
| Friday, June 14, 2019 | Rosemont, IL | Allstate Arena |
| Tuesday, June 18, 2019 | Detroit, MI | Little Caesars Arena |
| Wednesday, June 19, 2019 | Toronto, ON | Scotiabank Arena |
| Friday, June 21, 2019 | Buffalo, NY | KeyBank Center |
| Saturday, June 22, 2019 | Columbus, OH | Schottenstein Center |
| Sunday, June 23, 2019 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena |
| Tuesday, June 25, 2019 | Washington, D.C. | Capital One Arena |
| Thursday, June 27, 2019 | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center |
| Friday, June 28, 2019 | Boston, MA | TD Garden |
| Sunday, June 30, 2019 | Uniondale, NY | NYCB, Home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| Tuesday, July 2, 2019 | Newark, NJ | Prudential Center |
| Wednesday, July 3, 2019 | Uncasville, CT | Mohegan Sun Arena |
| Friday, July 5, 2019 | Atlantic City, NJ | Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa |
| Saturday, July 6, 2019 | Hershey, PA | Hersheypark Stadium |
| Sunday, July 7, 2019 | Raleigh, NC | PNC Arena |
| Tuesday, July 9, 2019 | Charlotte, NC | Spectrum Center |
| Wednesday, July 10, 2019 | Greenville, SC | Bon Secours Wellness Arena |
| Thursday, July 11, 2019 | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena (Philips) |
| Friday, July 12, 2019 | Jacksonville, FL | Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena |
| Saturday, July 13, 2019 | Orlando, FL | Amway Center |
| Sunday, July 14, 2019 | Hollywood, FL | Hard Rock Event Center** This show will go onsale at a later, to be announced, date. |
This week my daughter mentioned to me if she can get a headphones for her iPad for when we are in the car traveling. So, I said well maybe you can ask Santa Claus for it for Christmas. In my searching, I came across CozyPhones, which are a super cute and also multi-functional. These super comfortable 3-In-1 Headphones within the headband with kid safe volume control. The headband also serves as a sleep mask. This is literally a must have for all kids.
As a parent yourself, who else has issues if their earbuds falling out or breaking and the ugly bulky over-the-ear headphones?! These headphones are a great gift for kids. It also mentioned that this product is a wonderful solution for children with sensory issues and special needs. Still need more reasons? Well, the speakers are able to be easily removed, which means that you can even watch the headband if it gets dirty! BOOM!
Lastly, I should mention all the different type of headband designs that you can get. There are featured original style favorites, including a Fox, Frog, Panda, Bunny and (sure to be every girl’s favorite) a Unicorn. CozyPhones also has aligned itself with some of the top shows and brands in children’s entertainment and have partnered with Nickelodeon’s Paw Patrol for Chase, Marshall & Skye designs available now also – with more favorites to come! So there is only great things to come from this company! Stay tuned and definitely consider this for your kids this holiday season!
All CozyPhones are compatible with Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod, Android, Samsung Galaxy, Blackberry, Nokia, LG, HTC, Google Nexus, Lenovo, Asus, Sony, Dell, Toshiba, HP, MP3, MP4 and other audio devices. Ages 4+, SRP $19.99 on Amazon, click here to purchase.
Available on Digital October 10 and On 4K Ultra HD™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray + Digital, & DVD on October 24
CULVER CITY, Calif. (September 12, 2017) – Be the movie night hero and bring home the film that kids give two thumbs up to for the ultimate kid’s movie night! It’s time to express yourself when Sony Pictures Animation’s THE EMOJI MOVIE arrives for the first time on Digital on October 10 and on 4K Ultra HD+ Blu-ray + Digital, Blu-ray + Digital and DVD October 24 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The animated comedy unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone’s user. In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene (T.J. Miller), an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions. Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 (James Corden) and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak (Anna Faris). Together, they embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the code that will fix Gene. But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it’s deleted forever.
THE EMOJI MOVIE features an all-star voice cast including T.J. Miller (How To Train Your Dragon) as Gene Meh, James Corden (“Late Late Show with James Corden”) as Hi-5, Anna Faris (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs) as Jailbreak, Maya Rudolph (Big Hero 6) as Smiler, Steven Wright (Louie) as Mel Meh, Jennifer Coolidge (American Pie, Legally Blonde) as Mary Meh, Jake T. Austin (“Wizards of Waverly Place”) as phone owner Alex, Grammy® Award Winner Christina Aguilera as Akiko Glitter, Emmy® Award Nominee Sofia Vergara (The Smurfs) as Flamenca, Rachael Ray (“Rachael Ray”) as Spam, Emmy® Award Winner Sean Hayes (“Will & Grace”) as “Devil” Steven, and Emmy® Award Nominee Sir Patrick Stewart (X-Men, Star Trek: The Next Generation) as Poop.
THE EMOJI MOVIE is filled with interactive bonus materials on the Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD, DVD and digital releases that are fun for the entire family to enjoy including the “Good Vibrations” Dance Along and Lyric Video, where you can join along in the dance party. You can tell that they don’t spare any expense with video production either. Learn about the amazing dance moves from the film’s celebrity choreographer in “Choreographing Emoji with Matt Steffanina.” Get creative with step-by-step tutorials on how to draw your favorite Emoji’s with two “how to” videos. Go behind-the-scenes of a real-life coding school with the “Girls Who Code” featurette, and get to know everything about the all-star cast in “Express Yourself: Meet the Cast.” Fans will also get to unveil more of the story behind their beloved character in “Jailbreak Decoded: The Untold Story.” Additional featurettes include “Creating the World Inside Your Phone,” “Bringing Emoji’s to Life,” and the very exciting “Puppy! An Original Hotel Transylvania Short.”
In addition to extra content above, exclusive to Blu-ray, fans of all ages will be able to give it their best shot at the “Gimme a Hand! Guess the Emoji Game,” where Hi-5 and Smiler give you clues to help you guess the mystery Emojis. You will also have the chance to get creative with your Halloween Trick-Or-Treat candy with “Sweet App-etite: Make Your Own Candy Crush Inspired Saga Cake.”
THE EMOJI MOVIE is directed by Tony Leondis, with screenplay by Tony Leondis & Eric Siegel and Mike White and story by Tony Leondis & Eric Siegel. The film is produced by Sony Pictures Animation, with Michelle Raimo Kouyate serving as the producer.
DVD and Digital Bonus Materials Include:
• Director & Animators Commentary
• Puppy! An Original Hotel Transylvania Short
• Jailbreak Decoded: The Untold Story
• “Good Vibrations” Dance Along
• “Good Vibrations” Lyric Video
• Express Yourself: Meet The Cast
• Girls Can Code!
• Choreographing Emoji With Matt Steffanina
• Creating the World Inside Your Phone
• Bringing Emojis to Life
• How To Draw Poop
• How To Draw Gene
Blu-ray Exclusive Bonus Materials Include:
Everything listed above, plus:
• Gimme a Hand! Guess the Emoji Game
• Sweet App-etite: Make Your Own Candy Crush Inspired Saga Cake
THE EMOJI MOVIE has a run time of approximately 91 minutes and is rated PG: for Rude Humor.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (SPHE) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) company. Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.
ABOUT SONY PICTURES ANIMATION
Sony Pictures Animation produces a variety of animated and family entertainment for audiences around the world. The studio is following its worldwide comedy hits—the record-breaking monster comedies Hotel Transylvania and Hotel Transylvania 2, the hybrid live action/animated blockbusters The Smurfs and The Smurfs 2, and the mouth-watering Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movies—with the fully animated reboot Smurfs: The Lost Village available on digital and Blu-ray now; a surprising and comic take at the secret world inside our phones with The Emoji Movie in July 2017; the inspirational The Star in November 2017; Hotel Transylvania 3 in July 2018; and an animated Spider-Man feature from the minds of directors Chris Miller and Phil Lord in December 2018. The studio, in conjunction with Aardman Animations, has produced two critically acclaimed feature films: the CG-animated family comedy Arthur Christmas; and the Academy Award® nominated stop-frame animated high-seas adventure, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. In 2007, Surf’s Up also received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Animated Feature Film; a sequel entitled Surf’s Up 2: WaveMania is now available on digital and DVD. The division, whose first feature film Open Season led to a very successful movie franchise including the brand new Open Season: Scared Sillynow available on digital, DVD and Blu-ray, was founded in 2002. Sony Pictures Animation is a division of the Sony Pictures Motion Pictures Group.
“The Garbage Pail Kids Movie” Collector’s Edition
Blu-Ray, DVD
Rated: PG
Studio: Shout! Factory
Film Run Time: 97 minutes
Media Mikes Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars
It Doesn’t Get Any Grosser Than This… Especially in High-Definition! Your favorite grime bandits come to life in this hilarious film full of “gross-out humor” (The New York Times). Based on the wildly trading cards, “The Garbage Pail Kids Movie” stars Mackenzie Astin (Iron Will, Wyatt Earp) as a perfectly nice teenager who discovers the Kids…to his great disgust! When the kids are accidentally released from their magical trash can prison, all smell breaks loose. Despite their offensive personal habits – and attitude problems – Dodger (Astin) soon becomes fond of the Kids. But when Messy Tessie, Foul Phil, Valerie Vomit and the whole crew join his fight against thuggish bullies, their efforts just might land them behind bars!
Upon hearing that “The Garbage Pail Kids Movie” was getting a Collector’s Edition release I couldn’t wait to check it out in person. I remember renting this movie from the local video store and watching it over and over until we had to return it sometimes just to re-rent it. The latest version of the film’s release which I picked up in Blu-Ray format didn’t really add to the films initial quality including added clarity or sound as portions of the film still remained a bit grainy and the sound a touch on the tinny side however I found those minuet short coming only added to the films appeal as it was a bit reminiscent of the worn out VHS rental cassettes of the mid/late 80’s. It was great to see classic characters such as Ali Gator, Messy Tessy and of course my personal favorite Windy Winston.
As an added bonus to the collector’s edition there are several really cool sections which includes new interviews with the films Special Makeup Effects Creator John Carl Buechler and Makeup Effects Artist Gino Crognale as well as with the films lead Mackenzie Astin, Arturo Gil (Windy Winston) And Kevin Thompson (Ali Gator) among some other great features. Once again the great people at Shout! Factory delivers with this 80’s classic which I couldn’t be happier with.
FORT LAUDERDALE, FL – September 3, 2015 – The Museum of Discovery and Science announced today that it will host the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Kids Love & Family Expo for the second year in a row on September 12 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and September 13, 2015 from noon to 5 p.m. It will be a fun-filled family-themed weekend event produced by Entercom South Florida 101.5 LITE-FM, Magic 102.7, 790 AM The Ticket and the new 104.3 FM The Shark.
The Kids Love & Family Expo is a celebrity-filled extravaganza with everything that KIDS LOVE! With over 75+ interactive activities and exhibits for kids, the Museum of Discovery and Science is already something that KIDS LOVE! And while the kids are having fun, parents will discover the latest and greatest in products and services to make their busy lives healthier, easier, and more enjoyable from more than 50 sponsors & exhibitors!!!
Visitors will get a chance to meet celebrities, such as TV’s Lea Black from the Real Housewives of Miami and Genevieve Goings from Choo-Choo Soul on Disney, Jr. Plus, a special appearance from Kid KJ “Lil’ Monster Truck Jam and Ride”. Take a ride in a real monster truck, watch Kid KJ demonstrate monster truck tricks, and get an up close look at the monster trucks in Kid KJ’s & The Mighty Monsters collection! Don’t forget to bring your camera as there will be appearances from favorite your storybook characters – Madeline, Curious George and Clifford the Big Red Dog – on the Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Storytelling Stage throughout the Kids Love & Family Expo!
Museum President/CEO Kim Cavendish stated, “The Kids Love and Family Expo is truly a treat for the entire family. Costume characters, local exhibitors, dancing and prizes highlight this special two-day event. Plus, visitors will get to explore the hundreds of interactive exhibits that the Museum has to offer. Come one, come all.”
To learn more about the Kids Love and Family Expo, visit: http://tinyurl.com/kidsexpo15
Kids Love and Family Expo 2014 Photos: http://tinyurl.com/kidsandfam
ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE
The mission of the Museum of Discovery and Science is to provide experiential pathways to lifelong learning in science for children and adults through exhibits, programs and films. Founded in 1976 as The Discovery Center, the nonprofit facility serves approximately 400,000 visitors annually. Major operational support for the Museum is provided through generous support by Leadership Guild members including: JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Broward Health, Sun Sentinel and Wells Fargo.
The Museum is open seven days a week, 365 days a year with extended IMAX® hours on most evenings. Exhibit only admission prices are $14 adults; $13 seniors; $12 children 2 to 12. Children under 2 are free. The Museum of Discovery and Science is at 401 SW Second Street, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312. For more information call 954.467.MODS (6637) or www.mods.org
Actors: Scott Menville, Bumper Robinson, Hamilton Camp, Elizabeth Lyn Fraser, Henry Corden
Producers: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera, Kay Wright
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Warner Bros Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: March 11, 2014
Run Time: 300 minutes
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Growing up in the 80’s, I used to soak up any and all cartoon that aired either after school or on weekend mornings. I wasn’t old enough to watch the original “The Flintstones” but I was always a fan of the show. My parents told me that I used to run around the house as a kid screaming “YABBA DABBA DOO!”. When “The Flintstone Kids” aired, it was an instant favorite of mine. I was able to watch the pint-sized version of my favorite stone age family, but when they were kids. If you love the original “Flintstones” then it is a no-brainer, “The Flintstone Kids” is a must-own title to add to your collection. I have a 21-month old daughter and she has already watched these episodes numerous times, so I like being able to introduce her to a show that I also grew up with as a kid.
Official Premise: Before Fred and Barney married Wilma and Betty, and became stars of the enormously popular animated primetime series The Flintstones, they were fun-loving kids who hung around together in the town of Bedrock. The Flintstone Kids follows their escapades as adorable schoolchildren and introduces viewers to some new characters, including Rocky Ratrock, Dreamchip Gemstone and Miss Rockybottom, as well as family members Ed and Edna Flintstone, Robert Rubble, Doris Slaghoople and many others.
“The Flintstone Kids” originally aired from 1986 to 1988 on ABC. There were 78 episodes in the series. This is the first time that this show has ever been released on DVD. This release includes ten episodes including: “Barney’s Moving Experience”, “Curse of the Gemstone Diamond”, “Dusty Disappears”, “Freddy’s First Crush”, “Heroes for Hire”, “Poor Little Rich Girl”, “The Bad News Brontos”, “The Fugitives”, “The Little Visitor/Grandpa For Loan” and “The Rock Concert That Rocked Freddy”. This means that there are still 68 episodes left to release, so I have a feeling that Warner Bros is going to be released these volumes for some time.
Starring: Danny Cooksey, Vincent Price, Jonathan Winters, Cloris Leachman, Don Knotts
Directed by: Ray Patterson
Distributed by: Warner Archive
Rating: Not Rated
Running Time: 71 minutes
Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars
I may be a boy but I did grown up in the 80’s with a little sister. I remember watching “The Cabbage Patch Kids’ First Christmas”, which originally aired in 1984. It has been many years since then but now with a daughter of my own. I was excited to introduce her to the classic 1980’s Christmas special. Along with that special also included is the 1987 special “The Little Troll Prince Holiday”. This one I am not too familiar with but I certainly know the all-star voice cast including Vincent Price, Jonathan Winters, Don Knotts and Cloris Leachman. My daughter really seemed to enjoy both films quite a bit and wouldn’t take her eyes off the TV for “Cabbage Patch Kids”. This films aren’t overly Christmas themed but it was nice to start getting into mood even though it isn’t even Halloween yet, but that won’t stop me. I am sure we will be revisiting these too titles quite a bit over the next few months.
Official Premise: Fire up your Yule log and get set for an early Xmas, courtesy of Xavier Roberts and a wannabe gnome! The Cabbage Patch Kids First Christmas (1986) finds the magical brood leaving the safety of their Georgia hidden patch in search of the Christmas spirit in the big city courtesy of Ruby Spears. Beyond the protection of their human guardian Xavier Roberts and Colonel Casey the stork, the kids find that the big city has its own brand of menace, one very similar to their own… Can they find the Christmas Spirit in time to help a very special orphan? The second feature, The Little Troll Prince (1984), finds Hanna-Barbera mixings Scandinavian folklore with traditional holiday spirit for a charming concoction about a royal monster that trades in menace for a simple life of domestic gnome-dom.
These films have never before been released on DVD and thanks to Warner Archive for making this DVD possible. I swear, a month doesn’t go by that this company doesn’t give live to some rare and unique film that was collecting dust. I did notice though that the transfers of the films were not the greatest. On Warner’s website, it says that they have been manufactured from the best-quality video master currently available, but they also haven’t been remastered or restored. Nonetheless, they still were completely watchable presented in their original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. The Dolby Digital audio track included works well with the music, especially the songs in “The Little Troll Prince Holiday”. There were no additional special features included.
Actors: Kevin McDonald, Dave Foley, Bruce McCulloch, Mark McKinney, Scott Thompson
Director: Kelly Makin
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Archive / Paramount
Release Date: June 25, 2013
Running Time: 89 minutes
Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars
When it comes to “Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy”, it is really a crap shoot between fans. I personally have always loved this film. To me this film was absolutely hysterical in 1996 and is still extremely funny in 2013. I think the film was troubled from the start since it was when the group were having issues so it is not perfect but still effective. I even had (and still do) the cassette tape of the film’s soundtrack, which I know by heart track for track. This may not be for every “Kids in the Hall” fan but I still highly recommend it. Thanks to Warner Archive for pulling this film out of print and giving it a new life.
Official Premise: The Country hits cloud nine when obsessed scientist Chris Cooper (Kevin McDonald) invents Gleemonex, a happiness drug. Soon everybody is taking the little orange pill. But Cooper gets a heavy dose of the blues when he discovers that early test subjects have slipped into comas. Can Cooper stop the people’s happy habit – before it’s too late?
This film has not been available now for many years due to being out of print, so it is great to see it available to fans again for a reasonable price. I would have loved to seen this film make the jump to Blu-ray but I highly see that happening…ever. The transfer isn’t restored from the previous DVD but it still holds it’s own over the years. This DVD does not come with any special features but then again neither did the original 2002 Paramount DVD. I would have loved to seen some commentary tracks but since this film was made during the break up of the group they do not have good memories surrounding it and do not really support this film.
Actors: Bill Cosby
Number of discs: 15
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Shout! Factory
DVD Release Date: June 25, 2013
Run Time: 2340 minutes
Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars
If you were an adult or kid in the 70-80′s then you should be aware of “Fat Albert” and the man behind the show Bill Cosby. And no I don’t mean the terrible 2004 live-action film. Bill Cobsy is one of the greatest comedians of our time. Kids these days most likely will not recognize him since he hasn’t done much in the last decade or so. Well, I remember the “Fat Albert” original animated series growning up and it is a riot. Finally, thanks to Shout! Factory we can own the complete series, which includes the best original 36 1972-75 Episodes, all 24 1979-81 episodes and all 50 1984 episodes. If you are a fan of this show and looking to take a trip down memory lane then this would be the set for you to purchase.
Official Premise: Premiering in 1972 on CBS this classic animated series was created, produced and hosted by comedian Bill Cosby, who also lent his voice to a number of characters, including Fat Albert himself. The show, based on Cosby’s remembrances of his childhood gang, focused on the lovable, oversized Albert and his friends. The show always had an educational lesson emphasized by Cosby’s live-action segments, and the gang would usually gather in their North Philadelphia junkyard to play a rock song on their cobbled-together instruments at the end of the show.
“Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids” Season 1 from 1972 contains the following 16 episodes: “Lying”, “The Runt”, “The Stranger”, “Creativity”, “Fish Out of Water”, “Moving”, “Playing Hookey”, “The Hospital”, “Begging Benny”, “The Hero”, “The Prankster”, “Four Eyes”, “The Tomboy”, “Stagefright”, “The Bully” and “Smart Kids”. Season 2 from 1973 contains the following 5 episodes: “Mister Big Timer”, “The Newcomer”, “What Does Dad Do?”, “Mom or Pop” and “How the West Was Lost”. Lastly, we get season 3 from 1975 contains 15 episodes including “Sign Off”, “The Fuzz”, 3 Ounce of Prevention, “Fat Albert Meets Dan Cupid”, “Take Two, They’re Small”, “The Animal Lover”, “Little Tough Guy”, “Smoke Gets in Your Hair”, “What Say?”, “Readin’ Ritin’, and Rudy”, “Suede Simpson”, “Little Business”, “TV or Not TV”, “The Shuttered Window” and “Junk Food”.
Next up we have “The New Fat Albert Show” season 1 from 1979 with 8 episodes, including “In My Merry Busmobile”, “The Dancer”, “Spare the Rod Bucky, Weird Harold…”, “Sweet Sorror”, “Poll Time”, “The Mainstream”, “Free Ride” and “Soft Core”. The second season from 1980 is next with 8 episodes including “Pain, Pain Go Away”, “The Rainbow”, “The Secret”, “Easy Pickins”, “Good Ol’ Dudes”, “Heads Or Trails”, “Pot Of Gold” and “The Gunslinger”. The last was season 3 from 1981 with another 8 episodes, including “Habla Espanol”, “Two By Two”, “Barking Dog”, “Water Are You Waiting For?”, “The Father”, “Double Cross”, “Little Girl Found” and “Watch That First Step”
The last series included for this show is “Bill Cosby’s Fat Albert” from 1984 with another 50 episodes including “Have a Heart”, “Watch Thy Neighborhood”, “Cosby’s Classics”, “Justice Good as Ever”, “Rebop For Bebop”, “Sinister Stranger”, “Handwriting On the Wall”, “Busted”, “It All Ads Up”, “Never Say Never”, “Don’t Call Us”, “The Runner”, “Video Mania”, “You Gotta Have Art”, “Long Live the Queen”, ”The Joker”, “Second Chance”, “Kiss and Tell”, “Teenage Mom”, “Film Follies”, “Harvest Moon”, “Read Baby Read”, “The Whisky Kid”, “Millionaire Madness”, “Call of the Wild”, “Funny Business”, “Three Strikes and You’re In”, “What’s the ID?”, “Rules Is Cool”, “The Birds, the Bees, and Dumb Donald”, “Double Or Nothing”, “Hot Wheels”, “No Place Like Home”, “Not So Loud”, “The Jinx”, “You Don’t Say”, “Amiss With Amish”, “Gang Wars”, “Computer Caper”, “We All Scream For Ice Cream”, “Superdudes”, “Painting the Town”, Rudy and the Beast”, “Wheeler”, “Faking the Grade”, “Write On”, “Cable Caper”, “Say Uncle”, “No News Is Good News” and “Attitude of Gratitude”.
For episodes that range from 30-40 years old, these episodes looks damn good. They are presented in full frame and are well represented by Shout! Factory. If you didn’t think that 110 episodes were enough to leave you satisfied, there is still more in the special features. “Hey, Hey, Hey . . . It’s The Story Of Fat Albert” is solid hour long documentary on the show and it’s legacy. There are audio commentary tracks with Show Creator Bill Cosby, Storyboard Artists Michael Swanigan And Tom Tataranowicz, Writer Robby London And Host Wally Wingert, which are definitely worth checking out. Lastly there is a Still Gallery included, as well as DVD-ROM content with Script And Storyboards.
Directed by: Carl Urbano, Don Lusk, Paul Sommer, Robert Alvarez, Jay Sarbry
Voices of: Charlie Adler, William Callaway, Teresa Ganzel, Dick Gautier, Phil Hartman, Don Messick, Frank Welker, Patric Zimmerman
Number of discs: 2
Studio: Warner Home Video
DVD Release Date: April 30, 2013
Running Time: 290 minutes
Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars
I am not sure what it is about “Tom and Jerry” but they have always been one of my favorites. This popular cat and mouse duo has been around since 1940 and have never left the public eye for long. This animated series features the duo as kids, probably taking a page from “Muppets Babies”. “Tom and Jerry Kids Show” premiered in 1990 on Fox Kids and ran through 1994 for five seasons for a total of 65 episodes. This complete first season includes the first 13 episodes. So how does the the young Tom and Jerry rank against the older Tom and Jerry? Well it is fun and still had me laughing! So I give it a thumbs up…It was good as a kid for me and still good for me as an adult! I look forward to future seasons!
Official Premise: A Rivalry for All Ages! Spend some time with the beloved animated duo in their furry, formative years in Tom & Jerry Kids Show: The Complete Season One. Available for the first time on DVD in this 2-Disc collection, these delightful adventures follow the kitten and baby mouse as they taunt each other and create mayhem like only young ones can. Joined by their pals Droopy, Dripple, Spike and Tyke, Tom and Jerry bring on the giggles and good times in episodes such as Toys Will Be Toys, Bat Mouse, Cosmic Chaos and The Maltese Poodle. So run wild with 13 episodes from the hit TV series that feature more than four hours of hi-jinks that will be sure to bring out the kid in all of us!
“Tom and Jerry Kids Show The Complete Season 1″ is animated fun for the whole family. I have a 10-month old daughter and she literally lit up when these cartoons came on. I love that. For a show that I watched growing up now I will be able to share with my own child. The 13 episodes are split over a two-disc set with over four hours of guaranteed laughs and of course many “Tom and Jerry” hi-jinks. Each episode of this show is about 7 minutes so it works out that there is more like 39 mini-episodes included. The colors on the episodes still look sharp for a show that was produced well over 20 years ago, feeling old now. The audio included on the DVD is a typical Dolby Digital Mono track, which works well for the show itself. There are no additional special features included on the DVDs.
Season 1 episodes list:
Disc 1
1: Flippin’ Fido, Dakota Droopy & the Lost Dutch Boy Mine, Dog Daze Afternoon
2: Toys Will Be Toys, Droopy Delivers, My Pal
3: Prehistoric Pals, Super Droop & Dripple Boy Meet the Yolker, Marvelous Marvin
4: Bat Mouse, Puss n’ Pups, Outer Space Rover
5: The Vermin, Aerobic Droopy, Mouse Scouts
6: Sugar Belle Loves Tom, Sometimes, Mall Mouse, Super Duper Spike
7: Cosmic Chaos, Droopy of the Opera, Beach Bummers
Disc 2
8: Gator Baiter, Hoodwinked Cat, Medieval Mouse
9: Clyde to the Rescue, Droopio & Juliet, Maze Monster Zap Men
10: Crash Condor, Yo Ho Ho…Bub, Scrub-a-Dub Tom
11: No Biz Like Snow Biz, The Maltese Poodle, Cast Away Tom
12: The Little Urfulls, Droopo – First Bloodhound, Indy Mouse 500
13: Exterminator Cometh, Foreign Legion Frenzy, Urfo Returns
Author: The Topps Company
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Abrams ComicArts
Release Date: April 1, 2012
Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars
I grew up like most kids in the 80’s collecting these amazing trading cards. Actually, I should say secretly collecting, since I wasn’t allowed to have them during my pre-teen days. This book is a great collection of these collectible stickers produced by Topps in the 1980s. It is a must purchase for anyone that was a collector of these cards. The book overall is so amazing and brings back such amazing memories of growing up. To make it even better the wax-paper dust jacket and the illustration of the shattered stick of gum on the back cover easily makes this book a must have.
This book includes artwork from avant-garde cartoonists and humorists including Art Spiegelman, Mark Newgarden, John Pound, Tom Bunk, and Jay Lynch. For the first time ever in one place, all 206 rare and hard-to-find images from Series 1 through 5 are included in this collection. The images are so crisp and colors are well presented. Also included is a physical set of four limited-edition, previously unreleased bonus stickers. If you are a fan of this book reach out to Abrams and let them know we want more. It is absolutely amazing that fans continues to embrace this pop-culture phenomenon, in fact Garbage Pail Kids stickers are still being published today.
Garbage Pail Kids do not seem to be going anyway in the future. According to Deadline, Michael Eisner’s The Tornante Company is set to finance and produce the development of a new Garbage Pail Kids movie. Also I need to give some respect to the Art Spiegelman for kicking off this amazing book with an even better introduction and John Pound is responsible for closing this book with a proper afterword. If you are reading this Abrams ComicsArts, we want MORE volumes!!
Director: Doug Block
Copacetic Pictures and Hard Working Movies
Runtime: 92 minutes
Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars
“The Kids Grow Up” is a documentary written and directed by Doug Block. The film shows the relationship between Doug and his daughter as she prepares to leave home for the first time to attend college.
“The Kids Grow Up” does a great job showcasing the feelings and worries that I am sure all parents have when their child or children leave home for the first time. Block shares not only his feeling about the upcoming changes in his life but also takes time to re-examine the relationship between him and his own parents and how that affected his parenting style. Block’s daughter Lucy at times shows frustration with the camera which she states has been on her for as long as she can remember. It seems as though she too has some uneasy feelings about leaving home. “The Kids Grow Up” is an interesting look at one families parenting style and their ability to cope with everyday life struggles. This film may not appeal to the teen or younger audience however I think parents will really enjoy the film.
The special features portion of “The Kids Grow Up” has just over 50 minutes of bonus material. In this section you can also find a bio on the director the original trailer for this film and several other films that are being distributed by Docurama films. The bonus material had some great clips that further solidified the bond between father and daughter that is so prevalent in this film. The extra material was almost too much at times but it was an enjoyable watch.
