Concert Review: Matisyahu “College Tour” – Ithaca, NY

“College Tour”
Matisyahu, The Constellations
Date: Tuesday, November 6th 2012
Venue: State Theater, Ithaca, NY

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

Matisyahu brought his brand of Hasidic infused reggae on November, 6th to the historic State Theater located in Ithaca, NY. The medium sized college town venue seemed to be a perfect fit for the artist as he performed to a crowd just as diverse as his sound. The Constellations a blues/rock band from Atlanta, Georgia took the stage first bombarding the audience with a vast sound that seemed to have something for everyone. Vocalist Elijah Jones played just enough to the crowd to where he would get your attention and then not let it go. Bassist Wes Hoffman did a great job providing the low end of the group’s sound while his over the top afro hair style was a show unto its self.

Anticipation grew as did the crowd just before Matisyahu was set to take the stage and to amp things up even more a droning bass beat consumed every corner of the theater as it blasted out over the pa system. Within moments Matisyahu and his backing band the Dub Trio were onstage blending genres and minds. Though Matisyahu hid behind sunglasses and had little to no interaction with the crowd that did not stop the onslaught of applauses he received during the brief seconds between songs. Though Matisyahu has traded in his traditional Hasidic appearance for a more modern look his sound and message remain unchanged. Those looking for a laid back evening of good music will definitely want to catch one of the many dates Matisyahu has scheduled from now through February 2013.

Matisyahu Partial Setlist:
Beat Box
Time of Your Song
Close My Eyes
Youth
Time of Your Song
One Day
King Without a Crown

 

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Event Review: Hero Bot Con – Elmira, NY

Hero Bot Con
Date: Saturday, October 27th 2012
Venue: Chemung County FFC, Elmira, NY

The second annual Hero Bot Comic and Art Convention was held on Oct. 27th at the Chemung County FFC located in Elmira, NY. The event is ran an organized by Heroes Your Mom Threw Out Comic Shop located in Elmira Heights, NY and features a number of top industry comic book artists, writers and vendors.

Upon entering the venue I was quite surprised at the attendance for a relatively underground/grassroots convention. Various vendors and artists lined the gymnasium with countless collectibles, art and comics. Several big name artists/writers already had lines of fans waiting to have their at times stacks of items signed. Guest of Honor Mark Silvestri best known for his work on “Cyber Force”, “Wolverine” and “Incredible Hulk” had a line of fans patiently waiting just about all day long. Other notable guests that also were quite busy included Mark Hawkins (Cyber Force), Roger Stern (Superman, The Avengers, Amazing Spider-Man) and Jamal Ingle (Kiss, Supergirl). When not searching boxes of vintage comics for missing pieces to my collection I was able to attend a few of the Q/A panels which were quite fun as I was able to get some interesting pieces of behind the scenes info.

From the reactions of those in attendance myself included it seemed as though Hero Bot Con was a hit again this year. I do think the event organizers will have to look at bringing in more/higher profile guests and vendors in if it wants to keep fans coming back year after year however, for an independent con like this to be able to offer special VIP ticket/gift packages and Q/A Panels with the guests is pretty impressive as a lot of similar sized cons do not offer these opportunities. Next time Hero Bot Con comes around make sure to get your tickets and check it out as there is definitely something for everyone.

A big thank you to Jared Aiosa and Jesse Reib for all of their help and allowing us to attend the event.

For more info on Hero Bot Con you can visit the official website at www.herobotcon.com

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Concert Review: “All or Nothing Tour” – Rochester, NY

“All or Nothing Tour”
Unwritten Law, MxPx All Stars, Versus the World, FLF
Date: Sunday, November 4th 2012
Venue: The Club at Water St. Rochester, NY

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

The “All or Nothing Tour” made a stop in Rochester, NY on Sunday for an intimate gig held at The Club at Water St. Though the venue was small it didn’t stop the bands or the fans in attendance from having a good time. FLF hailing from Cape Coral, FL would take the stage first and put on a stellar performance that showcased the bands metal-core tinged, pop punk sound. Though the band’s set was brief they made good use of their time warming up the crowd. Viking Funeral Records artist Verses the World were up next and kept the crowd going with their Fall Out Boy minus the sugar coating type sound. Lead singer/guitarist Donald Spence worked the audience in between songs and one point left the stage to sing with the crowd. The band also performed a great cover of No Use For A Name’s “International You Day” which was dedicated to NUFAN’s fallen singer/guitarist Tony Sly who’s birthday was 11/4. Sly passed away in July of this year.

Up next was co-headliner The MxPx All Stars featuring Mike Herrera, Jack Parker, Harley Trotland and Jose Garzon. This is the All Stars first US tour together as the line was assembled to perform while regular MxPx guitarist Tom Wisniewski and drummer Yuri Ruley take some time off from the road. The band’s sound and energy was great as they blasted through classic MxPx songs such as “Move to Bremerton” and “Chick Magnet”. Herrera also took time to perform some material from his other band Tumbledown acoustically which broke up the set quite nicely before ending the night with “Punk Rawk Show” and “Responsibility”. Closing out the evening were veteran rockers Unwritten Law. The band sounded tight and wasted no time blasting through song after song however, there were several spots during the set that did feel a bit stiff and somewhat dated. Highlights of the set included “Teenage Suicide”, “Seein’ Red” and the always popular “Up All Night”.

The “All or Nothing Tour” features a pretty cool lineup in my opinion. It’s always great when headliners such as these have deep catalog’s to be able to pull songs from and perform a set that will please everyone in attendance. If the tour is making a stop in or around your area you should definitely go check it out. New fans as well as fans from the bands mid-nineties heydays will have a great time taking a walk down memory lane reliving all those great punk rock memories while also hearing some great new music as well.

MxPx All Stars Partial Setlist:
My Life Story
Move to Bremerton
Middlename
New York to Nowhere
Secret Weapon
Doing Time
Chick Magnet
Part, My House, Be There
Another State of Mind (Social Distortion cover)
Punk Rawk Show
Responsibility

Unwritten Law Partial Setlist:
Teenage Suicide
Rescue Me
Lonesome
Up All Night
Starships and Apocalypse
Seein’ Red
Mean Girl
Nevermind
Harmonic
Celebration Song
Cailin

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Concert Review: Paul McCartney: On the Run Tour – St Louis, Missouri

Paul McCartney/On the Run Tour
Date:  November 11, 2012
Venue:  Scottrade Center, St Louis, Missouri

Even at age 70 Paul McCartney can bounce around like a youngster.  Despite a trip off of a riser towards the end of the show (Macca quickly hopped up, struck a pose and began his guitar duel with Rusty Anderson and Brian Ray on the solo riffs during “The End”) McCartney and company played for a solid 3 hours, introducing some new Beatles and Wings songs to their live catalog.

After taking the summer off, St. Louis saw the beginning of the second leg of the “On the Run” tour.  The Fab Five (besides McCartney, Anderson and Ray the group included longtime members Paul “Wix” Wickens (Keyboards) and drummer Abe Laboriel, Jr.) kicked off the show with “Magical Mystery Tour.” before sliding into “Junior’s Farm.”  After a rousing “Drive My Car” – with the audience supplying the “Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep YEAHS – McCartney removed his jacket.  As the woman in the crowd began to “Woo” he smiled and informed them “That is the wardrobe change of the evening.”

With a playlist full of Beatles and Wings classics, the band managed to sneak in some lesser known songs, including “Sing the Changes” (The Firemen) and “My Valentine,” a song McCartney recently penned for his wife, Nancy.  After the first group of songs McCartney held aloft what has to be the most recognizable musical instrument in the history of rock and roll:  his Hofner 500/1 violin bass.  Later in the show McCartney strapped on his old Epiphone Casino guitar to introduce the song he wrote on it, “Paperback Writer.”  There were other song snippets played as well.  “Let Me Roll It” ended with a quick, loud snippet of “Foxy Lady,” with McCartney giving a quick shout out to the other left handed musical genius, Jimi Hendrix.  Later, during “A Day in the Life” the song evolved into an audience inducing “Give Peace a Chance.”  He also paid tribute to his former Beatles mates no longer with us.  A touching accoustic “Here Today,” a song he wrote to John Lennon, had him brushing away a tear at the end while a simple version of “Something” on a ukulele given to him by George Harrison ended as a full blown rendition.

As with everytime I’ve seen McCartney (this makes number six since the 1980s), his back up band was tight.  But even they are not above reproach.  Deducting that Rusty Anderson had made a minor mistake during his solo on “And I Love Her,” Paul admonished him and had him play just the solo over again.  And I’m pleased to say that the one song I’ve wanted to hear live and never have, “Maybe I’m Amazed,” was finally played.  I can now die happy!

The audience was packed with music fans of all ages – from senior citizens to teenagers to a young boy in his stroller whose parents were staying in the same hotel we were.  He may not remember the music he heard but years from now he can proudly tell people that he saw Paul McCartney live!

SET LIST
Magical Mystery Tour, Junior’s Farm, All My Loving, Jet, Drive My Car, Sing the Changes, The Night Before, Let Me Roll It/Foxy Lady, Paperback Writer, The Long and Winding Road, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five, Maybe I’m Amazed, I’ve Just Seen a Face, And I Love Her, My Valentine, Blackbird, Here Today, Dance Tonight, Mrs. Vandebilt, Eleanor Rigby, Something, Band on the Run, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Back in the U.S.S.R., I’ve Got a Feeling, A Day in the Life/Give Peace a Chance, Let It Be, Live and Let Die, Hey Jude.

FIRST ENCORE
Lady Madonna, Birthday, Day Tripper, Get Back

SECOND ENCORE
Yesterday, Helter Skelter, Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End 

Photo Credit: Rob Pue

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Blu-ray Review “Harold & Kumar Ultimate Collector’s Edition”

Actors: John Cho, Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris
Directors: Jon Hurwitz, Danny Leiner, Todd Strauss-Schulson, Hayden Schlossberg
Number of discs: 3
Rated: Unrated
Studio: Warner Home Video
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Run Time: 285 minutes

Ultimate Collector’s Edition: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Before we even get started, I am a huge fan of this series.  The first film is one of the most outrageous and funny comedies in the last then years. The second was good but didn’t really trump its predecessor, besides NPH.  “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is the latest and one of my favorites from 2011.  No it is not best film ever but it gets some amazing laughs, especially in 3D.  But it is not released in 3D on this release, so that is a big disappointing.  I think it would have been at least a half a star added on the score if it did. The package offers a total of four cuts of the three films, including the extended editions of each and also the theatrical cut of “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”.

Besides the film, this Ultimate Collector’s Edition comes in a “collectible tin, ideal for stashing the movies and any other necessities a Harold and Kumar fan might have.” This includes fun extras like a White Castle-scented car fresheners and White Castle-scented drink coasters.  If you don’t already own any of these prior releases and don’t care of 3D, then this release is for you. Otherwise, the coasters and car fresheners aren’t worth the re-purchase.

Each film in this collection are delivered in their original aspect ratio – “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” and “Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” are presented in 1.85:1 and “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” is presented in 2.39:1. Like the previous releases they all looks nice in thei r 1080p transfers, though I still prefer “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas” in 3D over 2D.  They are also all accompanied with a sweet 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks. Not going to complain for the original Blu-ray release of “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”, what happened to it’s DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track?

All of the previous special features from the prior releases are all included on this Ultimate Collector’s Edition. “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” includes three really fun commentary tracks with director Danny Leiner and actors John Cho and Kal Penn and also a commentary track with writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg. There is also an “Extreme” commentary with Danny Bouchard, highly recommended. “John Cho and Kal Penn: The Back Seat Interview” chat about the their roles with co-star Bobby Lee. “Art of the Fart” focuses on the sound effects editing for the bathroom scene with the two Princeton girls. “A Trip to the Land of the Burgers” is a featurette on the animated sequence. “White Castle Cravers’ Hall of Fame” is a look into the annual awards ceremony the burger chain holds in Columbus, Ohio. “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Sneak Peek” is a sneak peak into the sequel and well as the trailer. There is 20 minutes of interviews and commentary from the cast and crew along with another 15 minutes of deleted and alternate scenes. Lastly there is a music video for “Yeah (Dream of Me)” by All Too Much and two trailers included.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” special features include 27 additional scenes and an interactive feature called “Dude Change the Movie” that puts you in control of Harold and Kumar’s trip and allows you to select from new and alternate scenes to change the course of the film! There is two commentary tracks with the Directors and Stars and also the real “Harold Lee”, and the guy who plays George W. Bush. Lastly there is a “The World of Harold and Kumar” featurette and a Bush PSA included.

Lastly we have “A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”, which has the least impressive of the special features. They include a few of EPK shorts hosted by Thomas Lennon called “Through the Haze with Tom Lennon”. They are hilarious and definitely worth checking out as Lennon was a great asset to the film. There is a look into the claymation sequence and includes picture-in-picture with its animated storyboard reel and the final scene. Lastly there are about four minutes of deleted scenes…funny but not hilarious. Again did I mention that this release doesn’t include the 3D version of the film?

“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”: 3.5 out of 5 stars – Directed by Danny Leiner (“Dude Where’s My Car?,” TV’s “Backwash”), Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle follows John Cho (“American Pie” films, “Star Trek”) and Kal Penn (TV’s “House”, “The Namesake,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” films) as they set out on a journey to satisfy their craving for White Castle’s delicious burgers and find themselves on a hilarious all-night adventure as they run into one wacky obstacle after another.

“Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”: 3 out of 5 stars – The second installment of the franchise marks the triumphant return of these two hilarious, slacker anti-heroes. The movie stars John Cho (“American Pie” films, “Star Trek”) as Harold and Kal Penn (TV’s “House”, “The Namesake,” “National Lampoon’s Van Wilder” films) as Kumar, two stoners who can’t seem to get a break. Their last adventure found them traveling across country to find a White Castle hamburger in order to satisfy a weed-induced case of “the munchies.” This time, the boys get themselves in trouble trying to sneak a bong onboard a flight to Amsterdam. Now, being suspected of terrorism, they are forced to run from the law and try to find a way to prove their innocence. What follows is an irreverent and epic journey of deep thoughts, deeper inhaling and a wild trip around the world that is as “un-PC” as it gets.

“A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas”: 4 out of 5 stars Following years of growing apart, Harold Lee (Cho) and Kumar Patel (Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrive at Kumar’s door on Christmas Eve, his attempts to redirect it to Harold’s house ends with the “high grade” contents – and Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree – going up in smoke. With his in-laws out of the house for the day, Harold decides to cover his tracks, rather than come clean. Reluctantly embarking on another ill-advised journey with Kumar, through New York City, their search for the perfect replacement tree takes them through party heaven – and almost blows Christmas Eve sky high.

The ‘highly flammable’ three-movie set, Harold & Kumar Blu-ray Ultimate Collector’s Edition, blazes into stores November 13!
Official WB Shop Link: http://bit.ly/XVP2KW
Official Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/HaroldandKumarMovie

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Blu-ray Review “Godzilla vs. Biollante”

Cast: Kunihiko Mitamura, Yoshiko Tanaka, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Emi Kodaka, Masanobu Takashima, Turu Minegishi, Ryunosuke Kaneda, Koji Takahashi
Director: Kazuki Ohmori
Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Miramax Echo Bridge
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 104 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars

When it comes to ANYTHING Godzilla, I come running.  This 1989 title puts the King of the Monsters, Godzilla up against the even bigger monster Biollante. Thanks to Echo Bridge, this is the first time that “Godzilla vs. Biollante” stomps its way onto Blu-ray.  The film itself hasn’t aged at all and is still as fun as it was back in the 90’s, which was the first time I saw this. I hope that Echo Bridge has some more Godzilla films in its catalog waiting to release. If so count me in for sure!

Official Synopsis: Dr. Shiragami has been genetically engineering a form of indestructible plant life using a rare supply of Godzilla cells. This experiment has brought a strange new form of plant life into existence: Biollante, massive, yet peaceful in every way…until Godzilla returns to wreak havoc upon Japan. It is only then that something within Biollante stirs and the plant must fight to save her creator and the land she loves. It’s the super-beast Battle of the Century when Godzilla and Biollante come face to face in an explosive fight to the finish.

Echo Bridge really delivered a fantastic Blu-ray presentation.  The film is beautifully presented in with a sharp 1080p transfer.  The audio tracks included is a perfect 5.1 DTS Original Japanese Language track and also a 2.0 DTS Japanese Language track.  If you prefer the always “good for a laugh” dubbed track, there is a 1.0 Dolby Digital English Language track.  There are a few decent extras included on this release.  There is a Making of “Godzilla vs. Biollante” featurettes included, as well as a short but nice “Behind the Design” extra.  Godzilla fans should not miss this release, especially due to the sweet price.

 

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Blu-ray Review “Tales From the Crypt Presents: Ritual”

Cast: Jennifer Grey, Craig Sheffer, Daniel Lapaine, Kristen Wilson, Gabriel Casseus, Tim Curry
Director: Avi Nesher
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax Echo Bridge
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 106 minutes

Film: 3 out of 5 stars
Extras: N/A

Every since I saw “Tales from the Crypt Presents: Bordello of Blood” back in 1996, I was eagerly waiting for what was next. I heard about “Ritual” but it was shelved due to the ended of the show on HBO and other distribution issues. I waited and waited years to see this film till around 2001, when I believe I got a bootleg online. The result? Well, its just plain ‘ole “Tales from the Crypt” fun. This third film installment of the popular HBO series “Tales From the Crypt” is actually remake of the 1943 film “I Walked with a Zombie”.

Official Synopsis: Jobless after having her medical license revoked, Dr. Alice Dodgson (Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing) accepts an offer to travel to Jamaica and treat American Paul Claybourne’s (Craig Sheffer, A River Runs Through It) mysteriously ailing brother. But immediately upon her arrival, Alice finds herself immersed in the exotic rhythm and harmony of this foreign civilization…and besieged by the locals with terrifying tales of zombies and demonic possession. As her long-held faith in science clashes with her new experiences in the supernatural, Alice must ultimately submit to the strange native culture to save her patient, while fighting to escape with her own life. Also starring Tim Curry (Kinsey).

This is the first time that this film has been released on Blu-ray.  It looks good but not great.  The video is only presented with a 1080i transfer but then again this film has never looked perfect even on DVD (when it finally got poorly released).  The audio track is also a decent yet not stunning 2.0 Stereo track.  No special features are available on this release.  So I would really recommend this to the biggest hardcore fans of “Tales from the Crypt” but otherwise, it is not anything to write home about overall.  But for the low-price, you horror fans might consider this a guilty pleasure

 

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Blu-ray Review “eXistenZ”

Starring: Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie
Director: David Cronenberg
Rated: R (Restricted)
Studio: Miramax Echo Bridge
Release Date: December 4, 2012
Run Time: 97 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

“eXistenZ” is one of the most unrated film of the 90’s and got completely blindsided due to “The Matrix”, which was released the same year.  This film has never been released as a single disc Blu-ray before, so I am very excited to get it and spread the word. It was released by Echo Bridge earlier this year in “Miramax Triple Feature” with Malevolent / B. Monkey.  But has anyone even heard of those others? I saw this film in theaters back in 1999 and it instantly becoming a favorite of mine. Thanks Echo Bridge for finally giving this film the love it deserves with improved audio, video and even special features!

Official Synopsis: During the first closed-door demonstration of an amazing new virtual reality game called eXistenZ, the system’s brilliant designer, Allegra Geller (Leigh), is violently attacked by a crazed assassin intent on killing her and destroying her creation. Forced into hiding, Allegra enlists a young assistant (Law) to help her in testing the damaged system…by convincing him to join her inside eXistenZ. The action explodes as their world’s real-life dangers begin to merge with the fantasy of the game.

This time around Echo Bridge did this film upright delivering it in full high-definition 1080p transfer. The audio tracks are improved upon from the “Miramax Triple Feature: eXistenZ / Malevolent / B. Monkey” release. This time around they include both an DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, which to be honest both sound great. Lastly this time around there is some decent special features included.  It is nothing earth-shattering but it is extras nonetheless.  Included are three interviews with Jude Law, Willem Dafoe and the film’s Special Effects Supervisor.

 

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XBOX 360 Game Review “Marvel Avengers: Battle For Earth”

Platform: Xbox 360
Studio: Ubisoft
Rated: Teen
Release Date: October 30, 2012

Our Score: 3 out of 5 stars

When it comes to “Marvel’s The Avengers”, they are the hottest ticket in not only film this year but also anything having to do with media in general.  So the release of “Marvel Avengers: Battle For Earth” is not a shock.  The game is a head-to-head fighting game where you can put iconic Marvel superheroes and villains against each other. You can choose from 20 classic Marvel characters, each one that is equipped with four unique superpowers. But this isn’t your typical fighting game you have to use motion to fight and trigger attacks using the Kinect.  But it is met with mostly mixed results.

Like most fighting games there is a wide variety of game modes including Co-op, Campaign, Arcade, Challenges, Versus, and Tournament. Concerning the fighting system, it is decent and definitely not the worst I have ever come across, there is your typical use of Super Attacks, Velocity Boost, Breaker, or Frenzy to battle your  opponents. On the plus side that didn’t make it a total bust for me, there is tons of extras to unlock as you go through the battles like unlocking unique outfits and collector cards.

The character line-up avaialble for “Marvel Avengers: Battle For Earth” is Black Widow, Captain America, Doctor Doom, Dr. Strange, Hawkeye, Human Torch, Iceman, Iron Man, Loki, Magneto, Phoenix, Queen Veranke, Scarlet Witch, Spider Man, Storm, Super Skrull, The Hulk, Thor, Venom and Wolverine.

I did enjoy getting a chance to control both the heroes and villains of the Marvel universe using my movements but it did get a little tiring.  The capturing of my movement was also quite accurate. The graphics are also quite impressive with some sharp shading. I mean it is not super high-def but I feel that that was the angle that they were going for, more of a comic book look and not so polished.  In the end, this will surely be loved by energetic kids under the age of 12.   Adults might enjoy playing but will most likely loose interest after a short while.

Product Description: “Marvel Avengers: Battle for Earth” is the ultimate superhero brawler. It features 20 different characters, including Avengers such as Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Thor, as well as other fan-favorite Super Heroes and Super Villains from the Marvel Universe. Players will use motion gameplay to execute explosive super attacks, unleash devastating special moves and play with friends or against the AI in a wide variety of game modes.

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Book Review “The Art of Rise of the Guardians”

Author: Ramin Zahed
Hardcover: 158 pages
Publisher: Insight Editions
Release Date: October 22, 2012

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

If you are aware of “The Guardians of Childhood” series, which “Rise of the Guardians” is based off of, then you will appreciate the artwork from the series. The world that was created for this movie are provided in very high-detail through this book.  The children’s series is written by William Joyce, who’s also the film’s executive producer and gives a very nice foreword on the book.

“The Art of Rise of the Guardians” includes wonderful concept art for the DreamWorks animated film. The basis of the book is focused on the six main characters: North, Bunny, Tooth, Sandy, Jack Frost and Pitch. There is character profiles, as well as 3D and classic animation for each. Like I mentioned about the detail, besides just the character profiles, there is landscapes and sketches of the environments that were developed.  In the book, you get to see the work of all these fantastic artists and craftspeople who have collaborated in order to create DreamWorks Animation’s most ambitious films to date.

In the film “Rise of the Guardians”, North (Alec Baldwin), Bunnymund (Hugh Jackman), Tooth (Isla Fisher), and Sandman try to recruit the mysterious Jack Frost (Chris Pine) to help them stop Pitch (Jude Law) from putting an end to childhood belief and sending the world into eternal darkness.

Ramin Zahed is the editor in chief of Animation Magazine.  The man knows animation and gives this film art book the right treatment.  Alec Baldwin who voices North, gives a wonderful foreword.  The book itself has this very simplistic feeling.  Some of the pages are very simple, while some are jam-packed and extremely colorful.  I feel that it is really a wonderful balance of the two. The pastel of colors used in the book and throughout the film really pop-out here in the art-of book.  I am looking forward to this film very much and now more so since reading this book.

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Book Review “The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare”

Author: Sam McBratney
Reading level: Ages 3 and up
Hardcover: 72 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 28, 2012

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I am new to the beloved character of Nutbrown Hare but I am already in love with him.  This new book includes four new exciting adventures from the author, Sam McBratney, of the best-selling “Guess How Much I Love You” series.

Synopsis: “Just like young children everywhere, Little Nutbrown Hare likes to explore, play, venture out into the world, and sometimes just savor the comfort of being at home with loved ones. But whatever he does, and wherever he goes, Big Nutbrown Hare is always there to cheer him on. In a beautiful jacketed Guess How Much I Love You storybook, here are four heartwarming new stories that little readers (and their bigger companions) will instantly relate to.”

The illustration is very simplistic yet very warm and soft. The travels of Nutbrown continue as his explores the world around him including the rivers, mountains, fields and trees! This book will give kids the desire to get out and explore the world around them just like Nutbrown Hare. Hopefully this is only the beginning of these adventures with more to come.

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Book Review “Bears in Beds”

Author: Shirley Parenteau
Illustrator: David Walker
Reading level: Ages 2 and up
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 14, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

“Bears in Beds” is fantastic children’s for story time or more importantly bedtime! Kids are going to be wishing for you to read them to go to sleep and I am sure parents are going to love that idea.  These cute bears are fun, cute and this story from Shirley Parenteau is very fun to read and rhyme aloud. The illustrations are very impressive thanks to David Walker. Must have for all parents! You will thank me later! Trust me!

Synopsis: “It’s time for Big Brown Bear to tuck all four little bears into their beds. Then he’s ready to climb into his own bed and turn out the light. Five warm beds, holding five sleepy bears, until a sound goes whoosh in the middle of the night, and all the bears wake up in a fright. Will they ever get back into bed? Luckily, Big Brown Bear knows just what to do! A fun, rhyming read-aloud that parents will love and tired little cubs will be happy to snuggle up with.”

Author Shirley Parenteau and illustrator David Walker have worked together on a number of children’s books including “Bears on Chairs”. There is also a third book in the series planned called “Bears in a Bath” scheduled for release in the U.S. in Spring, 2014. This is a great series and I look forward to future releases. Shirley is also working with Candlewick again for a middle-grade novel currently titled “Ship of Dolls”. Look forward to that as well.

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Book Review “Christmas at the Toy Museum”

Author: David Lucas
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Walker Childrens Paperbacks
Release Date: October 4, 2012

David Lucas is an internationally acclaimed author/illustrator.  This is the second installment in this series, the first was “Lost in the Toy Museum”. This large format book includes wonderful watercolor and ink illustrations.  It is a charming tale that entertains both children, as well as adults. What child doesn’t love Christmas and what child doesn’t love toys?

Premise: “It’s Christmas Eve at the Toy Museum and when the lights go out the magic begins! One very special Christmas Eve, Bunting and the rest of the toys in the museum are gathered around the tree – but what’s this? There are no presents! What can they do? The normally reserved Bunting has a wonderful idea. Why don’t the toys give themselves to each other as gifts?”

David Lucas has captured all the excitement and magic that comes with the eve of Christmas.  I myself have never been able to sleep the night before Christmas and this book definitely captures what happens when us kids do to sleep every night.  If that doesn’t entertain, what is every child’s fantasy then to have their toys come to life.  Smart move David! Smart move! This book is a perfect blend of both and will have kids and their parents getting in the mood for the holiday.

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, christmas, museum, review, toy

Book Review “Birthday for Bear”

Author: Bonny Becker
Hardcover: 48 pages
Publisher: Walker Childrens Hardbacks
Release Date: December 6, 2012

Our Score: 3.5 of 5 stars

This is the latest installment of the Bear and Mouse series. Bonny Becker is the author of all four books including “A Visitor for Bear”, “A Bedtime for Bear” and “The Sniffles for Bear”. I recently reviewed “A Visitor for Bear” and now I will be tracking down the other two as well, since this is a must have series. Beuatiful illustrations again from Kady MacDonald Denton, who has worked on the other books in the series.

Premise: “Celebrate curmudgeonly Bear and the irrepressible Mouse in this laugh-out-loud companion to the much-loved “A Visitor for Bear”, “A Bedtime for Bear” and “The Sniffles for Bear”. Bear does not like birthdays. He doesn’t like parties or balloons, cards or candles. In fact, Bear does not like anything to do with birthdays at all. He would much rather spend his birthday alone cleaning his house, but Mouse, small and grey and bright-eyed, has other ideas. With a perfectly paced story by Bonny Becker paired with Kady MacDonald Denton’s slapstick visual comedy, “A Birthday for Bear” welcomes young listeners to the party in a new Bear and Mouse picture book ideal for sharing. It is another laugh-out-loud funny picture book starring the hilariously mismatched friends Bear and Mouse. It is a witty tale of a reluctant birthday celebrant with all the slapstick humour and repartee that readers of Bear and Mouse’s escapades have come to expect.”

Like the past installments, this books have such terrific humor and deliver for both the kids and the parents (if you are reading to them). I see my daughter enjoying these books very much and I look forward to future installments and collaborations from both Bonny Becker and Kady MacDonald Denton. Another score for Candlewick! This book is a perfect birthday gift for any young child or even a grown-up like myself.

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Book Review “The Gingerbread Pirates”

Author: Kristin Kladstrup
Illustrator: Matt Tavares
Reading level: Ages 4 and up
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: September 11, 2012

Our Score: 5 out of 5 stars

When I saw a book titled “The Gingerbread Pirates”, I couldn’t help but   request it.  It also combines three of my favorite things: gingerbread, pirates and Christmas. Did you see that coming? Reading this book is sure to become a new family tradition each year, and knowing myself throughout the year.  I am also see myself if not many others  baking & decorating gingerbread pirates after reading this.

Premise: “It’s Christmas Eve, and Jim and his mother are making pirate gingerbread men to leave for Santa. Jim’s favorite is Captain Cookie, who carries a gingerbread cutlass and has a toothpick peg leg. The captain is much too good to be eaten, so Jim keeps him close by his bed. But late that night, when Jim is fast asleep, Captain Cookie steptaps away on a daring adventure to find his pirate crew — and rescue them from that mysterious character he’s heard about: a cannibal named Santa Claus. At once contemporary and timeless, suspenseful and joyous, this masterfully illustrated tale is destined to be a new holiday classic.”

I love me some cookies as the big man in red but I love the idea of what would happen if a brave cookie stood up to Santa.  It is a very unique and funny story.  It also delivers some wonderful Christmas cheer. The illustrations are delightful and very colorful. Overall, I just need to say that I love this book. Author, Lristin Kladstrup and illustrator Matt Tavares are now on my must-have list now and will be keeping an eye out for future releases.

 

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Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, gingerbread, pirates, review
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