Mark your calendars for April 16, 2010, the day when Focus Features and award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmes will be delivering an extraordinary film to the screen that documents the birth and early development of four babies from the four corners of the world. From their delivery to their very first steps, BABIES breaks down the wall that stands between the documentary and its subjects, presenting an intimate portrait of the early lives of Ponijao, Mari, Bayar and Hattie from Namibia, Japan, Mongolia and California respectively.
Posted by: honestbaby, December 21, 2009 in 8:07 am
The Family-Friendly, Modern Update of the Jack London Classic Debuts On 3-D DVD December 22
The Jack London classic gets a family-friendly, modern day adaptation when Vivendi
Entertainment debuts Call of the Wild on 3-D DVD December 22. The all-star cast includes three-time Emmy(r) Award winner Christopher Lloyd (TV’s “Taxi,” Back to the Future), Ariel Gade (AVPR: Aliens vs Predator – Requiem), Wes Studi (James Cameron’s Avatar), Aimee Teegarden (TV’s “Friday Night Lights”), Devon Graye (TV’s “Dexter”), Kameron Knox (Actors Boot Camp), Jaleel White (TV’s “Family Matters”), Joyce DeWitt (TV’s “Three’s Company”), three-time Emmy Award nominee Veronica Cartwright (Alien, The Witches of Eastwick), and Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show). Call of the Wild is the timeless story of a young girl who attracts the attention of an evil stranger after she rescues an injured wolf. The bonus features include a fun Call of the Wild game, behind-the-scenes featurette, as well as deleted scenes and audio commentary. The single disc DVD, containing both the 2-D and 3-D versions of the film, is must-own family fun priced at $19.99 SRP and comes with two pair of special 3-D glasses.
FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY: We are giving away 5 copies of the Call of the Wild 3D DVD on the honestbaby fan page! Each copy comes with two pairs of special 3-D glasses ($19.99 Value Each).
Posted by: honestbaby, November 30, 2009 in 5:31 pm
Funky music, holiday magic and a supersonic sleigh are all wrapped up in this CGI–animated family adventure starring William Shatner as the voice of Santa! Trevor is a true believer in the holiday spirit, so his skeptical best friend, Veronica, challenges him to show the world actual proof that Santa is real. Trevor and his friends embark on the adventure of a lifetime to catch Santa in action and reveal the true magic of Christmas. But they’ve got to find Santa before LeFreeze — a dim-witted monster who is carrying a serious 100-year-old grudge — and his snowman minions put Christmas on ice forever! Join the race to save Christmas in Gotta Catch Santa Claus, the jolly, jammin’, modern-day holiday classic destined to become a family tradition!
DVD SPECIAL FEATURES
• Deleted Scenes
• Santa Behind-the-Scenes Footage
• 2 Sing-Along Songs
FACEBOOK GIVEAWAY: We are giving away 2 Gotta Catch Santa Claus DVDs on the honestbaby fan page this week! ($19.98 Value)
“It’s easier to cry in the dark. No one sees you in the dark. Crying always reminds me that I still have feelings. They are just hiding in places that you can’t see. They only come out in the dark.” Me – November 1, 2009
After her Soccer game, I took my daughter to see Spike Jonze’s re-imagining of Where The Wild Things Are. We asked my Mother to join us. I’m not very familiar with the book.I’m sure I’ve read it but for some reason, it never stuck with me. My parents separated when I was 7. They got divorced when I was 9. I was in the third grade. I don’t remember much of anything before that year. Like none of it ever happened. I never thought that was a big deal. Now that I have two daughters of my own, I realize how big of a deal it was. It would crush my heart to think that my daughters wouldn’t remember when they were 7. Especially if they didn’t want to remember… Like me.
10 Films for a Family Friendly Halloween Fright Fest
With witches, vampires and monsters galore taking over the streets alongside stormtroopers, pirates and ghostbusters, there is no doubt that Halloween is the time when we love to embrace our fears. Along with ghoulish decorations and trick-or-treating, October means scary movies but it doesn’t also have to mean gruesome gore and graphic violence. There are plenty of horror films that are well-suited for children. Here is a program of ten frightening films that you can experience with your kids in your very own Halloween film festival. They’re really not so scary, just only kind of scary.
Posted by: honestbaby, October 23, 2009 in 4:28 pm
Did you mistakenly believe that the Baby Einstein videos would make your baby smarter? No need to answer the question. Disney is assuming that you did and is now offering REFUNDS! If you’ve purchased a Baby Einstein DVD any time in the last five years, you’re entitled to a full refund. Yup, you can thank the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood which put pressure on Disney to stop claiming the Baby Einstein Videos were educational for infants.
Go to Disney’s Baby Einstein Website to find out how to get your money back, or trade in for a book or CD of your choice. We have no bone to pick with the Baby Einstein videos as entertainment, our kids loved them, but don’t love the deceptive advertising. It’s nice that they’re making up for it.
Eliza Welch (Uma Thurman) is a former fiction writer-turned-mom-blogger with her own site, “The Bjorn Identity.” Eliza lives and works in two rent-stabilized apartments in a walk-up tenement building smack in the middle of an otherwise upscale Greenwich Village. Starting at dawn, her to-do list is daunting: prepare for and throw her daughter’s 6th birthday party, mind her toddler son, battle for a parking space during an epic alternate side parking showdown, navigate playground politics with overbearing moms, and mend a rift after posting her best friend’s confession on her blog. On top of it all, Eliza decides to enter a contest run by an upscale parenting magazine. All she has to do is write 500 words answering the deceptively simple question, “What Does Motherhood Mean to Me?”
When I first found out that my wife was pregnant with our daughter, I started to wonder what life would be like when she was born. As I thought about life with a young toddler, I started to have nightmares filled with Barney and the Teletubbies (I’d mention the Wonder Pets but I’m afraid I might start having seizures). It never occurred to me that my daughter would enjoy some of the things we enjoyed when we were younger. Sure any animation that isn’t CGI is SO two decades ago, but what do our kids know. They don’t have those biases yet and you’d be amazed at what you could find at your local Best Buy thanks to the magic of DVD. In fact, because of video restoration, most of these shows and movies look better than even you might remember them.
Just released on Blu-ray and DVD this week, we revisit our review of the theatrical premiere of DreamWorks animated blockbuster, MONSTERS VS. ALIENS.
The battle at the heart of MONSTERS VS. ALIENS is the fight waged against mediocrity. And the tragic report from the front lines is that the monsters, the aliens and the viewers lost the fight. This DreamWorks release might employ state of the art 3-D technology to make an impressive looking film but the characters are strictly one-dimensional and the story is even flatter than that. Despite the great expectations that preceded it, this movie is its own worst enemy by failing to beat the boredom driven by a script that seemed to think it could ride on its admittedly great premise and settled for a derivative, paint-by-numbers story.
The movie starts out great and within the first few minutes it has promised us that there is going to be a lot to like about this film. A 50-foot woman! Monsters! Aliens! The Earth under attack! And all of it in 3-D! What more could you ask for? To start, most of us would hope for some originality.
After a solid opening, things come to a screeching halt as the general in charge of the secret lab holding Earth’s monsters is required to deliver the heavy handed exposition that tells us what we already picked up on. Monsters really do exist and they are being held in a secret facility for the safety and psychological well-being of a public that just couldn’t handle the truth. This short sequence illustrates what is wrong with the rest of the film. It is clumsy, boring and is the harbinger of the lack of creativity that could have elevated this story above its roots as a cheesy b-movie. For the rest of the show, the film suffers from the same level of pedestrian storytelling. Moments that should have been played as clever homage are simply derivative lifts from better movies.
Is it fair to wonder what this film would have been in the hands of the filmmakers at Pixar? Would it have been more than just some slapstick wrapped around a few unexciting action set pieces? Would it have heroes that we actually cared about? Would it have had a heart and a soul? Whether it is fair question to ask or not, it is foremost in my mind and the answer is obvious.
Reese Witherspoon leads the cast as Susan Murphy, the young bride-to-be turned 50-foot woman Ginormica, although she brings nothing of her usual charm and snap to her performance here. But it is hard to hold her at fault in this regard as she did not have much to work with. Susan Murphy, the human face of our monster heroes, is actually the one that connects with us the least. Average in every way before her wedding date with destiny, the day she is hit with the meteor that turns her into a giant, Murphy is a poor role model who values her worth through the love of her thoughtless cad of a fiancé. And as she struggles to save her colleagues, we are supposed to accept that her new physical strength is symbolic of an inner strength that is belied by the ending. Ginormica is a generic gimmick when she should have been brought to life as a tragic, lost hero that takes us on a journey toward someplace… anyplace. Once again, just poor storytelling at work.
Seth Rogen is perfect as the dopey gelatin blob B.O.B. who brings an infectious idiocy to his role that succeeds in grabbing your attention while he is on screen. Will Arnett as the Missing Link, Kiefer Sutherland as General W.R. Monger (war monger, get it?) and Rainn Wilson as the evil alien leader Gallaxhar all give performances that they saw someone do before. The biggest disappointment is the utter waste of Stephen Colbert as the President of the USA. Colbert should have been let loose to steal once scene after another but instead is handcuffed with lame shtick (the button for coffee is right next to the nuclear launch button- oops!). The biggest revelation is Hugh Laurie as Dr. Cockroach Ph.D. Give this roach his own movie. While the Dr. should have been the leader of our heroes, it was in name only has he is marginalized on the sideline. What a waste.
In addition to the obvious limitations of the script, perhaps the disappointing reality of MONSTERS VS. ALIENS is due in no small part to the major expectation of greatness that it created for itself by releasing one of the season’s best trailers. It looked great and set itself up as possibly the best movie ever. Maybe if it didn’t look so good and have so much promise, it could have slid by as the b-grade monster movie it actually turned out to be. But today’s market for animation is different. The bar has been raised and studios go after the adults as well as the kids. Filmmaker needs to understand that if they want both audiences, they need to create movies that exist on two different levels, both as cinema and cartoons.
One last thing that I feel I need to mention. In the late night screening that I attended, as the credits began to roll, a young voice of not more than five or six years old shouted out “Best movie ever!”. And maybe that is all that matters.
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Kiefer Sutherland, Stephen Colbert, Rainn Wilson
Walt Disney’s 1937 masterpiece, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is headed to high definition and you can save $10 off the price tag if you act fast. Set for release on October 6th, this marks the Disney princess’s first appearance on Blu-ray.
In addition to being Disney’s first cartoon feature film, Snow White was the first full-length cel-animated film ever made. The film was both a critical and box office success and earned Walt a unique set of honorary Oscars – one full size statuette and seven miniatures to go along with it.
Pre-order Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at Amazon.com now using code “snowhite” at check-out (use one “w”) and you will save $10 off the current price of $24.99. We’re not sure how long this special offer will last act fast if you plan on getting this family classic.
No film in history has captured the worlds imagination like Walt Disneys first full-length animated masterpiece. Through astonishing Blu-ray high definition technology, experience this timeless classic in its most spectacular presentation ever! With an all-new, state-of-the-art digital restoration and Disney Enhanced High Definition sound, the breathtaking animation and unforgettable music of the most revered Disney film of all time will enthrall you like never before!
Join the beautiful princess Snow White as she escapes her jealous stepmother, the queen, and befriends a lovable group of dwarfs. But when she falls under the queens wicked spell, only true loves kiss can save her
Bonus Features Include: Snow White Returns Storyboard Featurette Was Walt planning a Snow White sequel? With newly discovered storyboards Disney animators show how this sequel would have played out, Princess and the Frog Sneak Peek Exclusive sneak peek at the 1st 5 minutes before it hits theaters, The One that Started it All Featurette This featurette within Hyperion Studios reveals how Snow White forever changed the world of movies and the world at large, All New Tiffany Thornton Music Video to Someday My Prince Will Come, Audio Commentary with Walt Disney – Amazon.com
Mark your calendars for April 16, 2010, the day when Focus Features and award-winning filmmaker Thomas Balmes will be delivering an extraordinary film to the screen that documents the birth and early development of four babies from the four corners of the world. From their delivery to their very first steps, BABIES breaks down the wall that stands between the documentary and its subjects, presenting an intimate portrait of the early lives of Ponijao, Mari, Bayar and Hattie from Namibia, Japan, Mongolia and California respectively.
The Family-Friendly, Modern Update of the Jack London Classic Debuts On 3-D DVD December 22
Funky music, holiday magic and a supersonic sleigh are all wrapped up in this CGI–animated family adventure starring William Shatner as the voice of Santa! Trevor is a true believer in the holiday spirit, so his skeptical best friend, Veronica, challenges him to show the world actual proof that Santa is real. Trevor and his friends embark on the adventure of a lifetime to catch Santa in action and reveal the true magic of Christmas. But they’ve got to find Santa before LeFreeze — a dim-witted monster who is carrying a serious 100-year-old grudge — and his snowman minions put Christmas on ice forever! Join the race to save Christmas in Gotta Catch Santa Claus, the jolly, jammin’, modern-day holiday classic destined to become a family tradition!
“It’s easier to cry in the dark. No one sees you in the dark. Crying always reminds me that I still have feelings. They are just hiding in places that you can’t see. They only come out in the dark.”
With witches, vampires and monsters galore taking over the streets alongside stormtroopers, pirates and ghostbusters, there is no doubt that Halloween is the time when we love to embrace our fears. Along with ghoulish decorations and trick-or-treating, October means scary movies but it doesn’t also have to mean gruesome gore and graphic violence. There are plenty of horror films that are well-suited for children. Here is a program of ten frightening films that you can experience with your kids in your very own Halloween film festival. They’re really not so scary, just only kind of scary. 
Did you mistakenly believe that the Baby Einstein videos would make your baby smarter? No need to answer the question. Disney is assuming that you did and is now offering REFUNDS! If you’ve purchased a Baby Einstein DVD any time in the last five years, you’re entitled to a full refund. Yup, you can thank the 
Eliza Welch (Uma Thurman) is a former fiction writer-turned-mom-blogger with her own site, “The Bjorn Identity.” Eliza lives and works in two rent-stabilized apartments in a walk-up tenement building smack in the middle of an otherwise upscale Greenwich Village. Starting at dawn, her to-do list is daunting: prepare for and throw her daughter’s 6th birthday party, mind her toddler son, battle for a parking space during an epic alternate side parking showdown, navigate playground politics with overbearing moms, and mend a rift after posting her best friend’s confession on her blog. On top of it all, Eliza decides to enter a contest run by an upscale parenting magazine. All she has to do is write 500 words answering the deceptively simple question, “What Does Motherhood Mean to Me?” 
When I first found out that my wife was pregnant with our daughter, I started to wonder what life would be like when she was born. As I thought about life with a young toddler, I started to have nightmares filled with Barney and the Teletubbies (I’d mention the Wonder Pets but I’m afraid I might start having seizures). It never occurred to me that my daughter would enjoy some of the things we enjoyed when we were younger. Sure any animation that isn’t CGI is SO two decades ago, but what do our kids know. They don’t have those biases yet and you’d be amazed at what you could find at your local Best Buy thanks to the magic of DVD. In fact, because of video restoration, most of these shows and movies look better than even you might remember them. 
Walt Disney’s 1937 masterpiece, 
