New Year: New Path

'A New Path' photo by Paula Slade

Three years ago, I began an exciting journey of discovery, reporting on some of the finest talent in our country who consistently make a positive difference in the lives of children today.

If you’ve been following my articles since the beginning on Examiner.com, I thank you. If you’ve just recently discovered this blog, I thank you as well.

I wanted to let you know that I am taking a hiatus from posting on National Children’s Entertainment, at least for the foreseeable future.

For the time being, I may still (from time to time) post an article or two on my other blog, In My Humble Opinion. For your convenience, archived articles will be maintained on both sites.

This has been a difficult decision to make, and change is never easy, but there are several exciting projects that I am involved in and are now requiring a more concerted effort on my part. These ventures are actually multiple paths that I am taking, which involve possibly another blog, publishing, illustration, and returning to my roots in commercial voice over and narration. In addition, I am working on establishing a non-profit organization with the focus of eventually promoting and supporting literacy and the arts for children.

In the meantime, I hope you’ll continue to keep up with the progress of my journey through my pages on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace and eventually Google +.

Wishing each of you a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year, and hoping that our paths will continue cross.

2011 Holiday Guide: Hanukkah Gifts

Hanukkah, the Festival of Light, which begins at sundown Tuesday, Dec.20, 2011 is celebrated in Jewish households for eight nights, and provides plenty of opportunity for candle lighting, dreidel spinning, latke making (making potato pancakes), gift-giving, gelt-getting (gifts of money), music making and story telling.

Last year, we featured some of the best Hanukkah presents, which are classic entertainment items, many geared toward the four to eight year old range, but when shared in a family’s home setting, these  gems were sure to delight all ages.

This year, we've again included the favorites that have stood the test of time and will probably be around for many more years to engage, inspire and entertain, plus we've also included some new additions that we believe are classics in the making.


Please remember, best pricing at the time of this post has been provided for your convenience, but it is always a good idea to cross compare with your favorite online as well as stick-and brick-retailers.

As always, you are the final authority in selecting appropriate items for your child’s entertainment.

First, we start with books. 


A Faraway Island is the 2010 winner of the Mildred L. Batchelder Award for “an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States.”

Originally published in Swedish in 1996 as "En o i havet," the book was written by Annika Thor, translated by Linda Schenck, and published by Delacorte Press (an imprint of Random House Children's Books.)

A poignant and riveting novel that takes a different look at the Holocaust, as two Austrian sisters are separated from their family, and evacuated to an island off the coast of Sweden. Each girl placed with a different foster family.


"From School Library Journal Grade 5–8— In this gripping story, Stephie and Nellie, two Austrian Jewish sisters, are evacuated in 1938 from Vienna to a Swedish island and placed in separate foster homes. Twelve-year-old Stephie has promised her parents that she will try to ease her younger sister's way, a burdensome promise to keep. Auntie Alma, Nellie's Swedish mother, is warmer and more welcoming than Auntie Märta, Stephie's more austere foster parent." (Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Reviews for A Faraway Island are available at Amazon.com, and best pricing for this hardbound edition is through Amazon Marketplace at $2.24.


The items that are listed below were published during the early 1990’s but have remained in print because of their delightful ability to transcend generations, and all are available through favorite booksellers as well as most local libraries.

Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story by Fran Manushkin and Robin Spowart





A gentle tale about a peasant family, whose potato crop was buried in a blinding early snowstorm and their apple harvest, meager at best – left them with nothing to eat for the Hanukkah holiday. Despite their poverty, they invite a stray cat and dog into their household for shelter and care from the cruel winter storm, and are blessed with a miracle of sorts on the eighth day of Hanukkah. With beautifully illustrated chalk drawings, the book also includes an explanation of the holiday, directions for playing dreidel and a wonderful recipe for latkes.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks (October 1, 1992)
Best price available is at Amazon Marketplace
ketplace for a new paperback is $1.75

The Chanukah Guest by Eric A. Kimmel and Giora Carmi 

A totally silly story about 97-year old “Bubba” (Grandmother) Brayna, who each year during Hanukkah, makes the best latkes in the village, but this year, because she is very hard of hearing and almost blind, mistakes a hungry bear for her invited guest (the Rabbi), and feeds him all her latkes.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 32 pages
Publisher: Holiday House (September 1992)
Best price for "Collectible" paperback in "very good" condition is at Amazon Marketplace for $1.97.

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman

Worse than the “Grinch,” a number of holiday-hating hobgoblins (each a nasty prankster) set out to ruin Hanukkah for an entire village, but “Hershel of Ostropol” outwits them all. Trina Schart’s Caldecott Award-winning illustrations are the perfect match to Kimmel’s cleverly told story.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Paperback: 30 pages
Publisher: Holiday House (September 1994)
Best price available for paperback "new" condition is at Amazon Marketplace for $3.44





Now, for top recommended DVDs -

Lights: The Miracle Of Chanukah 

 
This 24-minute animated short explains the history behind the celebration of Chanukah, which also includes a special section about the Hebrew alphabet. A wonderful introduction of the holiday for children and features the voice over talents of Paul Michael Glaser, Judd Hirsch and Leonard Nimoy.
Presented in color, Dolby sound and full screen DVD format.
Best price at Amazon Marketplace $10.50.

Lambchop's Chanukah and Passover Surprise 

"Lamb Chop," "Charlie Horse," "Hush Puppy" and of course the beloved and late Shari Lewis tell you everything you need to know about the two Jewish holidays of Chanukah and Passover. This charming, G-Rated, 128 minute DVD also features guest appearances by Dom DeLuise, Robert Guillaume and Alan Thicke.
Best price from Amazon Marketplace for $11.79.

Here are the perfect music choices to ring in the holiday and for all year listening -

Chanukah Fever

"Mama Doni,” also known in real life as Doni Zasloff Thomas, an attractive and energetic 21st century, New Jersey-based Jewish mother and preschool-teacher-turned-entertainer, captivates kids and families with her fun-loving renditions of Chanukah songs.

Winners of the Simcha Award at the 2008 International Jewish Music Festival, Amsterdam, Mama Doni Band serves up a wide range of musical styles from reggae to rock with blends of Klezmer and even disco along with a few other genres mixed in.

Clever lyrics abound along with a bit of wacky shtick to celebrate not only the holiday but a beloved heritage.

You can preview all 14 tracks of Chanukah Fever at Amazon.com where the CD format is available for $13.84, or the option for an MP3 album download for $8.99 or .99 cents per track. Amazon Marketplace also has "new" condition CD's starting at $9.77.

You don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy the following: A video of "Chanukah Fever" by The Mama Doni Band. Enjoy!

Another hit from Mama Doni - Shabbat Shaboom!

Earlier this year the inimitable Mama Doni brought her special brand of “funky music with a Jewish twist” to a new “Challah-Day” album, perfect for year round listening, Shabbat Shaboom.

The original songs and stories on Shabbat Shaboom transport listeners to a place where the album’s warmly sincere pop-rock title track happily melds with a Gloria Estefan-meets-Fiddler on the Roof conga line tune, "Challah-Day,” where the reggae-influenced “Mazel Tov” meets a disco ditty, “Sabbath Queen.”

Shabbat Shaboom touches on such aspects as lighting candles, being with family (mishpocha), celebrating bat mitzvahs, and even the “workout” that Mama Doni mischievously terms "synagoguersizing." 

Shabbat Shaboom marks the first Mama Doni CD to showcase the entire Mama Doni Band.  

The Mama Doni Band photo by Ron Holtz

Sound samples for all 21 tracks of Shabbat Shaboom are available through Amazon.com, where the entire MP3 album is priced at $8.99 or $0.99 per down-loadable track.

Best pricing for the CD version is through Amazon Marketplace for $2.90.

Celebrate Jewish Lullabies Volume 1

In his fifteenth album release, guitarist/singer Craig Taubman has assembled a beautiful lineup of sweet musical treats for children.

Performed by numerous artists that include Craig Taubman, David Paskin, Yael Meyer and others, this excellent collection of tenderly performed songs with lyrics that paint gentle pictures, is sure to help little ones drift peacefully off to dreamland.

A Fall 2011 Parent’s Choice Award-winning album, Celebrate Jewish Lullabies Volume 1 is available to sound sample and in MP3 download for $0.99 per track or $8.99 for all 14 tracks from Amazon.com, where you will also find the Audio CD available for $13.07.

Now, for something really different...

Bannanagrams Hebrew

One of the most unique and primarily word-of-mouth promoted games, Bananagrams has taken the country by storm, and now it’s gone global with international editions, which now include Hebrew.

As a word formation game, it is slightly similar to Scrabble but it is fast-paced, portable and almost addictive as you can play in groups or solo. The game has simple rules and is very affordable.

Bannanagrams in Hebrew is available only through the following distributor:

http://www.bananagrams.co.il/en/  and is priced at approximately $26.41 US dollars, which includes all shipping.

The video below shows some teens having a great time with this unique edition of Bannanagrams.

2011 Holiday Guide: Children's DVDs

'Mr. & Mrs. Snowman' photo by Paula Slade

Today we turn our attention back to children’s DVDs, specifically some of the newest releases, which not only entertain, but educate and instill positive values.

The products listed below have been researched for quality as well a value.

Best pricing links have been provided at the time of this publication, but it is suggested that you may want to cross compare with your favorite online or stick and brick retailer.

As always, you are the best judge of what is appropriate in terms of your child’s entertainment.

From the NewKideo, comes a new release, SCHOLASTIC STORYBOOK TREASURES CALDECOTT FAVORITES.

This 3-disc DVD set provides over 199 minutes of some of the 20^th Century’s finest children’s picture book classics, beautifully adapted with animation, narration and music, featuring 23 beloved stories.

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott, and it is awarded annually by the American Library Association to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

All of the adaptations in this set were hand-picked to beautifully uphold the integrity and prestige of the storybooks awarded the Caldecott medal.

CALDECOTT FAVORITES not only offers a visual feast, but is narrated by such notables as John Lithgow, Laura Dern, Jane Harvey, and many others.

This collection is highlighted by Caldecott Award winners Robert McCloskey’s “Make Way for Ducklings” (1942) and “The Snowy Day” (1963) by Ezra Jack Keats, and Caldecott Honor stories “In the Small, Small Pond” and Jerry Pinkney’s “The Ugly Duckling” -- which are packaged together for the very first time.

The set also features modern classics such as “Bear Snores On”, “Bark George”, “The Story About Ping”, “Antarctic Antics” and lots more.

The stories in this DVD set support all-important themes that include honesty, humor and respect.

The SCHOLASTIC STORYBOOK TREASURES CALDECOTT FAVORITES features the ever-popular enhanced read along function, bonus stories and Spanish versions of “The Snowy Day”, “Whistle for Wille” and “Make Way for Ducklings,” and carries a suggested retail price of $24.95 with current best price available through Amazon Marketplace for $10.79.

From the beloved storybooks, which were translated into the incredibly popular and award-winning HBO series, comes BABAR: THE CLASSIC SERIES: BEST FRIENDS FOREVER and BABAR: THE CLASSIC SERIES SCHOOL DAYS, now on DVD.

Based on the Jean and Laurent de Brunhoff’s 1931 storybook classic, Histoire de Babar, these are fully restored and re-mastered animated television episodes from the 1989-91 series. These DVDs are visually beautiful, and gently impart excellent core family values.

The series also teaches the most valuable lesson of all: despite life's challenges, great things are possible if one never gets discouraged.

Babar the Elephant King has, for 80 years, captivated millions around the globe in a multitude of best-selling books (over 12 million sold worldwide and more than 1000 titles in print).

BABAR: THE CLASSIC SERIES comes to rich life with these two releases from Entertainment One.

BABAR: THE CLASSIC SERIES: BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, features episodes that focus on the bonds Babar shares with his pals and family.

In each of the adventures on BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, the Elephant King discovers important lessons on love, friendship, teamwork and understanding. 

The DVD includes four episodes with an approximate total run time of 90 minutes and includes an 8-page coloring book.

BABAR: THE CLASSIC SERIES: SCHOOL DAYS features four episodes about Babar’s own school day adventures as well as those of his friends and family.  In each tale Babar learns important lessons on acceptance, honesty and patience. 

The video below is taken from the BABAR CLASSIC SERIES opening theme song, and it is an excellent example of the timeless and endearing quality of these stories.

The suggested retail price for both BEST FRIENDS FOREVER and SCHOOL DAYS is $14.95 each. 

To learn more about For more information about BABAR THE CLASSIC SERIES: BEST FRIENDS FOREVER visit Amazon.com.

Best price for this episode is through Amazon Marketplace where it is available “new” for $4.49.

You will also learn more about BABAR THE CLASSIC SERIES: SCHOOL DAYS by visiting this link at Amazon.com.

Best price for BABAR THE CLASSIC SERIES: SCHOOL DAYS is through Amazon Marketplace where it is available “new” for $5.00.

If you're still searching for that perfect gift idea, be sure to check back as more posts in other categories will be provided until December 21, or visit previously published articles.
 

If you found this article to be helpful, but are still searching for additional options, please see links below to previous Gift Guide suggestions:

If you found this article to be helpful, but are still searching for additional options, please see links below to previous Gift Guide suggestions:

2011 Holiday Guide: Holiday DVDs for gift giving

2011 Holiday Guide: Holiday Music for gift giving

2011 Holiday Guide: Audio Books and celebrations of Christmas

2011 Holiday Guide: Part 1 Gifts of music for year round listening

2011 Holiday Guide: Part 2 Gifts of music for year round listening

2011 Holiday Guide: Best books of the year

If you found this article to be helpful, but are still searching for additional options, please see links below to previous Gift Guide suggestions:

2011 Holiday Guide: Holiday DVDs for gift giving

2011 Holiday Guide: Holiday Music for gift giving

2011 Holiday Guide: Audio Books and celebrations of Christmas

2011 Holiday Guide: Part 1 Gifts of music for year round listening

2011 Holiday Guide: Part 2 Gifts of music for year round listening

2011 Holiday Guide: Best books of the year

2011 Holiday Guide: Holiday DVDs for gift-giving

"Santas" photo by Paula Slade

With Thanksgiving just a week away, we turn our attention to preparing for the upcoming holiday season.

 

This article, the first installment in this series, provides information and ideas for parents and caregivers for children’s entertainment-oriented gifts. 

 

From now until December 21, 2011, new offerings will be featured in multiple entertainment categories.

 

Today, we focus on some new DVD releases for this year.

 

The products, which appear below have been researched for quality as well as value, and are geared to provide the children in your life with many hours of positive and fun-filled entertainment.

 

Although pricing has been provided for you at time of this publication, it is suggested that you cross-compare with various online as well as stick and brick retailers when available.

 

For some of the listed DVDs, trailers are provided, so you may wish to bookmark this page to enable viewing, or further explorations of the highlighted links at your leisure. 

 

As always, you are the best judge of what is appropriate for your child's entertainment.

GIVING THANKS…AND MORE STORIES TO CELEBRATE AMERICAN HERITAGE

Just in time for Thanksgiving, and as families gather together, comes the latest offering from Scholastic Storybook Treasures – Giving Thanks… and More Stories to Celebrate American Heritage.

American history and friendship skills, are the emphasis on this DVD, which includes four stories to help celebrate what makes our country great, including the recent Parent’s Choice Award winner “Lincoln & Douglass: An American Friendship” by Nikki Giovanni, narrated by Danny Glover. 

Other stories include “Giving Thanks”, narrated by Native American Mohawk leader Chief Jake Swamp and offering an alternative language track in the Mohawk language, “Hiawatha” and Marcia Sewall’s “The Pilgrims of Plimouth”, which dramatically chronicles the arrival of the Pilgrims in the New World. 

The 92-minute DVD (plus bonus extras) includes the ever-popular read-along function, and an interview with “Lincoln & Douglass” author Nikki Giovanni.

The suggested retail price for Giving Thanks… and More Stories to Celebrate American Heritage is $14.95 and is available through Amazon Marketplace starting at $5.69.

A CHRISTMAS WEDDING TAIL

From Anchor Bay Entertainment and Michael Feifer (producer/director of The Dog Who Saved Christmas Vacation and Your Love Never Fails) comes an adorable and heartwarming new holiday release, A Christmas Wedding Tail, which launches at retailers nationwide starting Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011.

A Christmas Wedding Tail is a Family/Romantic-Comedy about canine matchmakers and their blended families, as they navigate the challenges and triumphs of relationships.

Product Details

“Jennie Garth (“90210”) stars as Susan, an unemployed Los Angeles museum curator and widowed single mom temporarily living in a small California town with her three sensitive sons.

Jake (Brad Rowe of “General Hospital”) is a single dad of two tomboys who owns a local winery.

When Susan’s dog Rusty (voiced by Jay Mohr of “Ghost Whisperer”) falls for Jake’s poodle Cheri (voiced by Nikki Cox of “Las Vegas”), these canine matchmakers help their owners fall in love too.

Tom Arnold and Catherine Hicks (“Seventh Heaven”) also co-star in this film.”

A Christmas Wedding Tail is rated PG for “mild language” and includes an Audio Commentary with Executive Producers Jeffery Schenck and Barry Barnholtz and Writer/Co-Producer Peter Sullivan, plus A Christmas Wedding Tail: Dog Tracks.

Suggested retail price: $19.98 and the DVD is available at Amazon.com with release-day delivery option, which may be available at checkout for most continental U.S. addresses.

Below, for your enjoyment is the trailer for A Christmas Wedding Tail

A Christmas Wedding Tail Trailer

BABAR AND FATHER CHRISTMAS

From Entertainment One, comes a beloved holiday classic that has been digitally restored and re-mastered on DVD – Babar and Father Christmas. 

This delightful holiday animated tale takes Babar on a journey to find Father Christmas, and save the day for his children and everyone in Celestville.

This year, Babar celebrates his 80^th birthday being everyone’s favorite elephant whose stories highlight core family values.

As a special bonus this DVD includes a Babar coloring book plus two extra episodes of Babar - “A Child in the Snow” and “The Gift”

The suggested retail price of Babar and Father Christmas, which runs 70-minutes, is $14.98. The DVD is now available through Amazon Marketplace starting at $6.22.

Below, for your enjoyment is the trailer that includes complete storyline for Babar and Father Christmas

Babar and Father Christmas Trailer

25 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

Also from Entertainment One, and at retailers nationwide comes, 25 Days Until Christmas, a unique Advent calendar on DVD.

A wonderful way to start a new family holiday tradition, 25 Days Until Christmas reintroduces the Bible into your holiday festivities by counting down the Advent calendar with daily scripture readings of the Christmas story, beautiful high definition winter scenes, seasonal devotions and beloved inspirational music 

Listen one day at a time or “play all.”

Suggested retail price this 60-minute plus extras DVD is: $14.98. 25 Days Until Christmas is available for immediate shipping through Amazon with a price of $9.99.

New release: Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVD ‘Chrysanthemum... and More Whimsical Stories'

New Kideo release

Today is the official nationwide DVD release of Kevin Henkes’ award-winning perennial classic, CHRYSANTHEMUM, which headlines the value-priced collection of Scholastic Storybook Treasures,’ CHRYSANTHEMUM…AND MORE WHIMSICAL STORIES’ compiled for the first time by New Kideo

A perfect choice for toddlers and kids, CHRYSANTHEMUM…AND MORE WHIMSICAL STORIES provides over three hours of entertaining content featuring some of the most memorable critters originally created for the pages of  picture books.

Positive story themes abound in this collection that supports important developmental tracks such as self-esteem, growth and change. 

The three individual DVDs include: CHRYSANTHEMUM…AND MORE MOUSE MAYHEM,  IS YOUR MAMA A LLAMA?...AND MORE CLASSIC CHILDREN’S STORIES, and RAPUNZEL…AND MORE CLASSIC FAIRY TALES, – all total these DVDs feature 17 endearing stories that have been honored with more than 25 prestigious awards, including the Caldecott Honor and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children’s Video. 

 The 180-minutes of entertainment (plus extras) feature storybook classics that include not only  “Chrysanthemum,” but “Make Way for Ducklings”, “Owen”, “Is Your Mama a Llama?” “Noisy Nora”, “A Weekend with Wendell”,“Princess Furball” ,“The Caterpillar and the Polliwog”, “Hondo and Fabian”, “Lon Po Po,” “The Three Billy Goats Gruff”, “Read to Your Bunny” “The Little Red Hen”, and more – all expertly narrated by noted actors including Danny Glover, Meryl Streep, and Sarah Jessica Parker to name a few.

As always, Scholastic Storybook Treasures DVDs encourage a love for reading for pre and early readers with a special embedded read-along function.

Bonuses include Spanish versions of “The Caterpillar and the Polliwog”, “Is Your Mama a Llama?”, “Owen” “Noisy Nora”, and the featurette, “A Visit with Rosemary Wells”

List price for CHRYSANTHEMUM…AND MORE WHIMSICAL STORIES’ is $24.95 with current best available price from CD Universe for $18.10.

Debbie and Friends Presents: ‘Learning to Play Piano for the Very Young’

'Learning to Play the Piano for the Very Young'

Debbie Cavalier is one of those rare multi-talented music industry hyphenates: Her performances with her award-winning kids/family band Debbie and Friends rank her as one of the top children’s music artists in the nation; she is an educator and Dean of Continuing Education at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston; a seasoned producer of DVDs, and a prolific author who has penned more than one hundred music education publications and arrangements. Cavalier’s latest project, Learning to Play Music for the Very Young is a wonderful and entertaining method for introducing the joys of music making to a child.

Geared to be the perfect pre-primer for preschoolers, Cavalier created Learning to Play Piano for the Very Young with her grandfather, noted arranger/composer Marty Gold, who was an A & R man for RCA in the ‘50s and ‘60s and recorded dozens of records with the Marty Gold Orchestra. Gold was also Cavalier’s first music teacher when taught her how to play piano.

Cavalier says, “Learning To Play Piano is a readiness method for the parent and child to experience together. It prepares kids for further study with a piano teacher using any of the commercially-available methods.”

The pre-primer method book is filled with active participatory activities: writing in note names, tracing hands, writing in finger numbers, clapping, singing and playing melodies.

There is a pullout “Keyboard Tent” that is included, which provides a fun visual reference to associate notes on the page to keys on the piano.

Children learn to play familiar melodies such as “Twinkle, Twinkle” and “Jingle Bells” with their right hand and gain the readiness skills needed to graduate to any commercially available piano method.

The full-color book is filled with words of encouragement and praise from familiar Debbie and Friends cartoon characters.

Cavalier says, “The melodies are familiar, so there’s immediate satisfaction as kids learn to play songs they know.” She adds, “Parents don’t have to be trained musicians to enjoy working through the material with their child from start to finish.” 

Learning To Play Piano for the Very Young is available from  Debbie and Friends Music ($9.95) and from various retailers.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies with ratings and trailers

‘Popcorn’ photo by Petr Kratochvil

It’s time to make weekend family entertainment plans and see if this week’s current crop of films will be part of your schedule. The following report covers motion picture theatrical releases opening nationwide beginning Friday, June 24, 2011, along with current film industry news.

The movies listed below have a rating, which has been established by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and have been provided with an italicized commentary from the Classification and Ratings Administration (CARA).

If a film has not been provided with an official rating, additional information may, or may not be provided.

If a film is designated NC-17, very limited information will be furnished.

For your convenience, each film title links directly to the Internet Movie Data Base, which provides the most comprehensive listing about the movie’s storyline, and includes a trailer, cast and crew information, initial audience reaction (if prior screenings have taken place) and parent advisories when available.

As always, you are the single best judge for determining your child’s choice of entertainment.

FILMS OPENING THIS WEEK

Opened June 24, 2011 A Better Life  – Drama-PG-13- because of “some violence, language and brief drug use.”

Opened June 24, 2011 Bad Teacher – Comedy–R- because of “sexual content, nudity, language and some drug use.”

Opened June 24, 2011 Cars 2 – Animation, Adventure, Comedy- G-Suitable for all audiences.

Opened June 24, 2011 Conan O'Brien Can't Stop – Documentary- R- because of “language.”

Opened June 24, 2011 Hawaiian Vacation- Animation, Short, Comedy- G- Suitable for all audiences and being presented with Cars 2.

Opened June 24, 2011 Leap Year – Drama- NOT RATED- NOTE: Los Angeles and New York City only.

Opened June 24, 2011 The Names of Love – Comedy- R- because of “sexual content including graphic nudity and some language.” - NOTE: Los Angeles and New York City only.

Opened June 24, 2011 Turtle: The Incredible Journey – Documentary- G- Suitable for all audiences. NOTE: In limited release.

Opening June 27, 2011 The Globe Theatre Presents The Merry Wives of Windsor– Theatre – NOT RATED One performance only. “NCM Fathom, Globe Theatre and Arts Alliance Media present a four part series of Classical Shakespeare titles in movie theaters nationwide this summer and fall. Captured in 2010 from the prestigious and internationally renowned Globe Theatre in London, each performance will include a historical perspective on the Globe, the reconstruction process, the work of the Globe today, and a behind-the-scenes look at each production with interviews from the actors and creative team involved.”

Opening June 27, 2011 A Little Bit of Heaven- Comedy, Drama, Romance- PG-13- because of “sexual content, including crude references, and language.”

Opening June 14, 21 and 28, 2011 Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition Trilogy – NOT RATED – “The Academy Award®-winning trilogy will be featured in an exclusive series of three in-theater events including The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring™ on June 14, 2011; The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers™ on June 21, 2011; and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King™ on June 28, 2011. Each event will begin at 7:00 p.m. local time. The events will begin with a new and personal introduction for each film from The Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson captured from the set of his current film, and The Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit, and will be immediately followed by the Extended Edition feature presentations which altogether include nearly 3 hours of additional feature footage carefully selected by Peter Jackson.”  NOTE:  Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition Trilogy will also be released on Blu Ray nationwide beginning June 28, 2011.

Opening June 29, 2011 The Met Summer Encore:Simon Boccanegra – Music, Opera- NOT RATED. One performance only. “Running Time: 3 hours 45 minutes; 2 intermissions. An encore performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra will be shown in select theatres on Wednesday, July 29, 2011, at 6:30 PM in all time zones. Four decades into a legendary Met career, tenor Plácido Domingo makes history singing the title role in Verdi’s gripping political thriller, which is written for a baritone. Adrianne Pieczonka, Marcello Giordani, and James Morris are his co-stars in this moving story of a father and his lost daughter. James Levine conducts.”

Opening June 29, 2011 Transformers:Dark of the Moon – Action, Adventure, Sci Fi–PG-13 because of “intense prolonged sequences of sci fi action violence, mayhem, and destruction, and for language, some sexuality and innuendo.”

For information on films that opened June 17, 2011, which included:   The Art of Getting By;    Buck;    Green Lantern;    Page One: Inside the New York Times;    Mr. Popper’s Penguins;    DCI 2011 Tour Premier;     Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition Trilogy;    If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front;    The Met Summer Encore: Don Pasqual and  Dudamel: Let the Children Play, please click on the link below.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

For information on films that opened June 10, 2011, which included:   Bride Flight;    Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer;    Super 8;     The Trip;    The Trollhunter;    Viva Riva!….. Lord of the Rings: Extended Edition Trilogy; Stephen Soundheim’s Company and the Met Summer Encore: Madama Butterfly, please click on the link below.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

For information on films that opened June 3, 2011, 2011, which included:,   Beautiful Boy’    Beginners;    The Last Mountain;    Love Wedding Marriage;   Rejoice and Shout;   Small Town Murder Songs;    Submarine and X Men: First Class, please click on the link below.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

For information on films that opened May 27, 2011, which included: The Tree of Life ; John Gets Wasted and The Metropolitan Opera die Walkure encore,  please click on the link below.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

For information on films that opened May 20, 2011, which included:   Bloodworth;   Cost of a Soul;   Forks Over Knives;   Louder Than a Bomb;   Midnight in Paris;   Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides;   The Annual;   The Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda 2, please click on the link below.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

For information on films that opened April 1 to May 13, 2011, please click on the link below.

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

For information on films that opened the weeks of Friday, February 4 to Friday March 25, 2011 please click on the link below, where you will also find previous listings and links for prior weeks in January, as well as films that opened in 2010:

The Popcorn Report: Guide to this week’s movies

G GENERAL AUDIENCES (All Ages Admitted) PG PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED (Some Material May Not Be Suitable for Children) PG-13 PARENTS STRONGLY CAUTIONED (Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13) R RESTRICTED (Under 17 Requires Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian) NC-17 NO ONE 17 AND UNDER ADMITTED – As determined by the Rating Board/Motion Picture Association of America.

NEWS

TOY STORY HAWAIIAN VACATION SHORT OPENS TODAY WITH CARS 2

TOY STORY TOONS: HAWAIIAN VACATION opens today, Friday, June 24 and will run with all screening of CARS 2. 

The animated short comedy brings your TOY STORY favorites back. “Set in new owner Bonnie’s bedroom, “Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation” features Woody (voice of Tom Hanks) and Buzz (voice of Tim Allen) and the rest of the favorite “Toy Story 3” toys as they create the ultimate Hawaiian vacation for Ken (voice of Michael Keaton) and Barbie (voice of Jodi Benson).  

It seems Ken badly miscalculated their travel arrangements, so the gang has to create a dream getaway in Bonnie’s Midwestern bedroom—in the middle of winter.  

“Hawaiian Vacation” also features the voices of Joan Cusack, Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles, Estelle Harris, Blake Clark, Bonnie Hunt, Timothy Dalton, Kristen Schaal, Jeff Garlin and John Ratzenberger.”

DREAMWORKS PICTURES BEGINS PR PUSH WITH “FRIGHT NIGHT” FAN FRENZY

“DreamWorks Studios is pleased to present a special insider look at its upcoming, 3D re-imagining of the horror classic FRIGHT NIGHT at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con  International Convention. 

On Friday, July 22, a panel presentation will be held in Hall H of the San Diego Convention Center. On the dais will be talent from the film, including Colin Farrell, Anton Yelchin, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Imogen Poots, director Craig Gillespie and screenwriter Marti Noxon. Activities also include a fan appreciation party as well as a screening in advance of the film’s opening in theaters on August 19^th.

On Friday, June 24^th, the film’s social media campaign; “The FRIGHT NIGHT Feeding Frenzy” kicks off with a chance to win a VIP trip for two to San Diego Comic-Con in partnership with Yahoo! Movies. The trip includes travel, accommodations and admittance to all FRIGHT NIGHT scheduled events. “The Fright Night Feeding Frenzy” encourages fans to use their social feeds on Facebook, Twitter and blogs to share movie content and check in to real world events to collect points. At the end of each week, the fan who has spread the frenzy the farthest wins a killer prize. 

Prizes are awarded weekly beginning July 1^st through the film’s release on Friday, August 19^th.  

More information about the FRIGHT NIGHT Feeding Frenzy and how to join can be found at: www.welcometofrightnight.com

ABOUT THE MOVIE – STUDIO NOTES:

"Senior Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all—he’s running with the popular crowd and dating the hottest girl in high school. In fact, he’s so cool he’s even dissing his best friend Ed (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). But trouble arrives when an intriguing stranger Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. He seems like a great guy at first, but there’s something not quite right— yet no one, including Charley’s mom (Toni Collette), seems to notice!  

After witnessing some very unusual activity, Charley comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on his neighborhood. Unable to convince anyone that he’s telling the truth, Charley has to find a way to get rid of the monster himself in this Craig Gillespie-helmed revamp of the comedy-horror classic.

DreamWorks Pictures’ FRIGHT NIGHT is produced by Michael De Luca and Alison Rosenzweig, with screenplay written by Marti Noxon from a story by Tom Holland, based on the film “Fright Night,” written by Tom Holland. 

FRIGHT NIGHT opens in theaters on August 19, 2011.”

UPCOMING FILMS OF NOTE


THE HELP

A new featurette behind-the-scenes trailer was just released for the upcoming Dreamworks PG-13 film THE HELP, which opens nationwide, August 12, 2011.

TRAILERS FOR THE MOST ANTICIPATED UPCOMING FILMS

THE MUPPETS

It’s finally here, the new official trailer for THE MUPPETS, which opens nationwide November 23, 2011.

Directed by Enrico Casarosa

Produced by Kevin Reher

Studio Synopsis:

From Pixar Animation Studios, LA LUNA, an animated short, is all about “the timeless fable of a young boy who is coming of age in the most peculiar of circumstances. Tonight is the very first time his Papa and Grandpa are taking him to work. In an old wooden boat they row far out to sea, and with no land in sight, they stop and wait.  A big surprise awaits the little boy as he discovers his family's most unusual line of work. Should he follow the example of his Papa, or his Grandpa? Will he be able to find his own way in the midst of their conflicting opinions and timeworn traditions?”

Enrico Casarosa serves as Director/Head of Story for LA LUNA, and below is his biographical background, which you may find quite interesting.

“Casarosa joined Pixar Animation Studios in January 2002.  He began working as a story artist on CARS and the Academy Award-winning feature RATATOUILLE.  Casarosa’s next project was as story artist on Disney•Pixar’s Academy Award®-winning feature film, UP and most recently, Casarosa made his directing debut with the short film, LA LUNA Currently, Casarosa is working as head of story on an upcoming Pixar film.

As a story artist, Casarosa creates visual sequences from the script. Story artists also generate new ideas and gags, and provide feedback regarding the plot, characters and overall story of the film. With help from story artists, the film’s director finds the story they want to tell and the best cinematographic way to tell it. 

Casarosa found early influences in Hayao Miyazaki’s work and grew up watching Miyazaki’s television series in Italy. Born and raised in Genoa, he moved to New York City in his twenties, to study animation at the School of Visual Arts and Illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology.  

Before coming to Pixar, Casarosa worked as a storyboard artist at Blue Sky Studios on ICE AGE and ROBOTS.  He also worked as a background designer and storyboard artist for a number of Disney Channel Television Series’ including “101 Dalmatians” and “PB&J Otters.” 

Casarosa lives in San Francisco, California with his wife Marit and their little daughter Fio Giulietta.”