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A Slice of Life
by Francine Brokaw
March 2006 DVD Selections
Bewitched - Season 3
The third season of this popular sitcom was filmed entirely in color, for the first time. This is the season where little Tabitha gets her powers which cause a lot of problems for the Stevens’ household. The show was so popular because viewers lived vicariously through Samantha. After all, who wouldn’t want to twitch their nose and have the house cleaned in an instant? Or in the flick of an arm be in Hawaii or London, avoiding all the travel hassles? Personally, I’d love to bypass the crowded airports and planes. And time travel? Yep, this season has Sam going back to the 14th Century. Oh my stars! Join Samantha, Darrin, Tabitha, Endora, Aunt Clara and Uncle Arthur in this fun 60’s sitcom. All 33 episodes are included.
A Boy Named Charlie Brown
Good Old Charlie Brown. This poor little guy has had his share of bad luck. He simply cannot win at anything and feels like a failure. His baseball team never wins when he is pitching and he cannot get his stupid kite in the air. Then he joins the spelling bee and discovers he might be able to win something after all! This adorable story includes all the kids from the most popular comic strip. Linus - the little boy who has a high intelligence but cannot be without his security blanket for fear of cracking up, Lucy - the busybody who moonlights as a psychologist, Schroeder – the musical genius, Snoopy, the loveable beagle, and the entire gang help celebrate Charlie Brown in this fun favorite. Good Grief!
Caillou - The Everyday Hero
Caillou, everyone’s favorite preschooler, is back with another fun DVD. Join Caillou and his family as he helps take care of his sister Rosie, learns about being a firefighter, plays with his friends and learns about life in general. He might be afraid of the water slide, but he overcomes his fear and ends up enjoying sliding into the pool. He worries when his sister cries and he reads her a story to get her to sleep. His imagination is endless. Preschoolers enjoy watching Caillou’s adventures on his PBS TV show, and now they can watch them any time with this full color DVD. Bonus features include bios of the characters, a color matching game, and a parents’ guide. Insert the DVD into a computer and print out coloring pages. Caillou is a cute kid and a great role model. He’s fun, kind, curious, and imaginative. The 12 episodes included in this DVD are: Caillou Helps Out, Caillou the Firefighter, Caillou to the Rescue, Where’s Gilbert?, Where I Saw it Last, Lost in the Jungle, Caillou and the Water Slide, Caillou the Sailor, and Creepy Crawlies!, Caillou the Road Builder, Caillou’s Building Adventure, and House in the Sky.
Chicken Little
Last year’s hit movie is now on DVD complete with a bevy of extra features. First of all, did you know Chicken Little was originally going to be a girl? Besides the wonderful story of the little fellow who last year cried out that the sky was falling and once again finds himself in the same situation, the DVD includes several deleted scenes and alternate openings. There are music videos and an interactive game as well as a “making of” feature. This story touched the hearts of so many people as the little fellow tries so hard to win his father’s approval. Abby Mallard - also known as the Ugly Duckling, Runt of the Litter, and Fish Out of Water join Chicken Little in an attempt to save little Kirby, an alien baby who was accidentally left behind. With a fun cast of characters the group in Oakey Oakes will again steal the heart of viewers. With all the bonus features, this is sure to be a big hit with the entire family.
Cutting Edge: Going for the Gold
Christy Carlson Romano stars in this sequel to the classic film about a figure skater and a hockey player. Romano plays their daughter who is on the road to winning a gold medal herself. When an injury ends her solo career, she must find a partner or give up professional skating. The partner she ends up with is none other than the boy she met on the beach while on vacation in California. This show-off inline pro decides he wants to take a stab at ice skating, and although the two begin like oil and water, they end up becoming a remarkable team, both on and off the ice. But will his fiancé come between them? There is a behind-the-scenes featurette describing how the actors were selected and how they filmed the amazing skating sequences. Romano says she will continue to skate and definitely caught the skating bug. She has said about her profession, “It takes a tremendous commitment for any person and it’s not all glamorous.” The same can be said about figure skating. Romano is an actress who puts everything she has into her work, and it shows!
The Flintstones - Season 5
Yabba dabba do! All 26 episodes of this classic cartoon series are available in a fun box set. Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm are adorable babies and their parents fight over which one is Bedrock’s Most Beautiful Baby. But who can choose? They’re both adorable. The set also includes some great bonus features, including a “Stone Age Parenting Guide: Child Rearing in the Stone Age.” This is a cute feature about the challenges of “raising your prehistoric tyke.” The more things change, the more they remain the same, and childrearing is one of them. These tips are just as important today as they were back in the Stone Age! There is also a feature about the weird family, The Gruesomes and how they came to be in Bedrock with the Flintstones and the Rubbles. And, there are some “treasures from the Flintstones’ archives with a little about their history and some of their TV commercials, for all you Flintstones lovers. This is truly a fun DVD set for the entire family.
Good Night, and Good Luck
This important film tells the story of newsman Edward R. Murrow and his on-air conflict with communist-hunter Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s. At the time TV was in its infancy and everyone was trying to find the right way to use this new medium. With McCarthy invading the lives of Americans in the way that he did and causing fear among the populous, Murrow decided enough was enough and took it to the airwaves where he openly confronted the Senator and his tactics. The filmmakers did their best to portray the events and the people the most realistic way possible, and the DVD contains behind-the-scenes interviews with those who made the film as well as several people who were actually involved in the conflict themselves. This is a great history lesson. Presented in black and white, the way TV was broadcast at the time, this is as realistic as possible, using actual clips of McCarthy and his hearings. The film garnered six Academy Award nominations.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The fourth year at Hogwarts is quite different for Harry and his friends. First of all, they are getting older and for the first time realize there is an opposite sex. This is also the year Hogwarts hosts the Triwizard Tournament, a dangerous event in which Harry suddenly finds himself an active participant. With dragons, magical mazes, and mysterious dilemmas, the competition is supposed to foster “International Magical Cooperation” and bring everyone together in the spirit of friendship. But there is something sinister behind the contests. Even though the movie has darker undertones, all the magic and wonderful effects that made up the previous films are present. As a matter of fact, this film is more magical than the others as magic is a strong presence throughout the movie. The 2-disc DVD contains an array of bonus features, including some additional scenes and some talks with the cast. There are also several challenges and games, and viewers will enjoy taking part in the activities of the Triwizard Tournament themselves. Some behind-the-scenes featurettes are also entertaining, however Harry Potter fans will not only enjoy this fourth - the darkest film of the series - but most viewers will immerse themselves in all the challenges in their quest to join the wizards and become like Harry. This DVD set will keep everyone entertained with all the bonus features, and of course, the movie which had people standing in lines to see at the theaters!
Little Alvin and the mini-Munks
This new DVD is not your typical animated Chipmunks story. It is live-action and puppetry. When Dave goes out of town, he leaves the young Chipmunks and the Chipettes in the care of La Lu, a friend who is happy to have the six kids stay with her. La Lu lives in a magic cottage with Gilda (a talking cockatoo), and PC (a talking frog who believes his is one kiss away from being Prince Charming). There are also Sam and Lou, two gophers who report to the viewers about the feelings the characters are experiencing. While at La Lu’s, the kids learn about separation, jealousy, telling the truth, sharing, and other life lessons. The six different characters are all pre-schoolers. With several songs, the DVD is a cute and educational way for youngsters to learn about life. Alvin, Simon, Theodore, Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor (the infant) are adorable characters, and through the imaginative puppetry they entertain and educate the viewers. Whether Theodore is learning about telling the truth and not to put things into the toilet, Alvin is learning about helping out with Eleanor, and Jeanette is learning that she cannot “borrow” Brittany’s lipstick, these characters each have something with which viewers can identify. Help your child learn about his/her feelings along with the Chipmunks and Chipettes, as they sing along with the characters and learn about life in general. The special parenting section has helpful information and ideas for child rearing and understanding your kids.
Love's Long Journey
The third film in the series from Janett Oke about life in the old west is now available on DVD. This story focuses on Missie (Erin Cottrell) and her new life with her new husband. Life in the old west was hard and challenging, and with Missie expecting her first child things are even harder. Thank goodness for helpful neighbors. This film centers on Missie’s optimistic and helpful attitude as she and Willie (Logan Bartholomew) homestead and set up their new life. And you thought your life was difficult! This is one tough lady! If you enjoyed Love Comes Softly and Love’s Enduring Promise, you’ll enjoy this third film from Michael Landon, Jr. In the same vane as his father’s Little House series, Landon stresses the family and community, making this a wonderful film for everyone with a heartfelt message of love and endurance.
MacGyver - Season 5
From 1985-1992 Richard Dean Anderson wowed television audiences as MacGyver, the secret agent who could create a weapon or tool out of everyday objects, which was important to this man who didn’t carry a gun. A secret agent without a gun? Well, if you’re MacGyver you don’t really need one. Concocting intricate items out of simple things has since come to be referred to as “MacGyvering” proving once again that what we see on the screen does impact our everyday lives. MacGyver was a loveable character that captured our hearts and minds. If you watched the Super Bowl, you got a glimpse of the old MacGyver as Anderson returned for a brief time to reprise his famous character for a Master Card commercial. If you missed the commercial, don’t worry. It is still airing periodically. In the meantime, fans of the ingenious super hero can now purchase season five of the popular series.
Memoirs of a Geisha
Memoirs of a Geisha is a beautiful film in every way. It follows the life of a young girl who is sold by her family and eventually becomes the most desired Geisha in the land. The external view of the world of the Japanese Geisha is exotic, however internally things are much different. There is jealousy and conniving between the women. Young kids won’t find the beauty in the subject or the film, and it does deal with some mature topics, however adults and older kids will enjoy it. This is drama at its best. The 2-disc DVD includes not only the wonderful film, but also eleven bonus features which make this a great DVD to own. There is a featurette about the Academy Award- winning wardrobe that went into this visually stunning film, as well as featurettes on the music and make-up. A Geisha Boot Camp shows viewers how the actors became Geishas for their roles. The Road to Japan takes viewers to the country of the film. Explore the real world of Geishas and learn about the sport of Sumo. These featurettes cover everything.
The Shirley Temple Collection - Volume 3
The third set of films from this little powerhouse is now available on DVD. Each disc has the option to view in black and white or colorized versions. The Littlest Rebel casts Shirley as a young six-year-old Southern belle who must endure the trials and tribulations of the Civil War. And she sure has a lot of them. First her mother dies then her father is set to die for being a spy. Only the intervention of Abraham Lincoln saves the day. In the film Shirley sings a peppy “Polly Wolly Doodle.” The Little Colonel and Dimples are also part of this collection. The discs are available separately or together. Through a special colorization process the films look just as good in color as they do in their original black and white, and when selecting the color option viewers will forget they are watching a film that was colorized. Shirley Temple wowed audiences as a little actress in the 1930s and at one time was the most popular movie star in the world.
Snoopy Come Home
When Snoopy gets a letter from his original owner telling him she is in the hospital and wants him to visit her, he takes off with his sidekick Woodstock. Everyone is concerned when he is missing, but super sleuth Linus discovers Snoopy is a “used” dog and Charlie Brown is not his first owner. Snoopy decides he is needed more by his original family so he returns to Charlie Brown’s put his affairs in order. With a sad goodbye party, Snoopy realizes leaving is harder than he thought it would be, but he still leaves. With all the little kids mourning his absence, Snoopy soon realizes there’s no place like home. Well, that’s another movie, but the sentiment is the same! Snoopy belongs with Charlie Brown, and Charlie Brown belongs with Snoopy.
© 2006 Francine Brokaw
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