Desperate to watch these women air their dirty laundry!

October 15, 2007

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season, The Dirty Laundry Edition is out on DVD. You want it. You really do.

The sexy Desperate Housewives of Wisteria Lane—Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher), Gabrielle Solis (Eva Longoria), Bree Van De Kamp (Marcia Cross), Lynette Scavo (2007 Emmy® nominee Felicity Huffman; Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series) and Edie Britt (Nicollette Sheridan)—remain on the prowl for suburban romance in this seductive third season DVD.

In season three, get the dish on Susan’s new love Ian (Dougray Scott), Bree’s unsettling marriage to Orson (Kyle MacLachlan), and surprising wedding proposals!

Desperate Housewives: The Complete Third Season, The Dirty Laundry Edition includes all 23 one-hour episodes of the hit show on six-disc DVD with hours of “sudsy” extras.

BONUS FEATURES:
• “Here Comes the Bride”
A behind-the-scenes look at the season three finale
• “Amas de Casa Desesperadas”
Meet the lovely Latinas of Wisteria Lane
• “Cherry Picked”
Creator Marc Cherry’s favorite scenes
• Deleted Scenes
• Bloopers/Outtakes

I have watched this show from the beginning and let me tell you something about it: It is one seriously messed up neighborhood. If it weren’t for the deaths, the suicides, the affairs, the liars and the backstabbers, I would SO want to live there.

This DVD is one that any faithful Desperate Housewives watcher must have. With the plethora of bonus features and the finale that makes you turn to the person beside you and ask, “Did I just see that?”, you will want to add this one to your collection!

Posted by Jenn @ 4:35 pm | Comments   | |

Brothers and Sisters and drama! Oh, my!

Brothers and Sisters - The Complete First Season is out on DVD and if you have not started watching this series yet, I recommend it.  It is the next great family drama.  This series  has everything a good drama should have: drama, comedy, characters you care about and of course great eye-candy!  Not to mention an all star cast:  Emmy® nominee and Oscar® winner Sally Field (Best Actress for 1979’s “Norman Rae” and 1984’s “Places in the Heart”), alongside 2007 Emmy ® nominee Rachel Griffiths, Golden Globe® nominee Calista Flockhart (“Ally McBeal”), and Emmy® nominated Rob Lowe (“The West Wing.”)

Kitty (Flockhart) portrays a political pundit who’s always been daddy’s little girl, while Sarah (Griffiths) balances motherhood with managing the struggling family business. The loyal son and logical heir to the Walker firm is Tommy. Kevin is a gay lawyer struggling to find love, while Justin, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, deals with drug addiction. Ron Rifkin (“Alias”) does a turn as Nora’s brother Saul, second in command of the Walker family business. “The West Wing’s” Rob Lowe plays Kitty’s boyfriend Senator Robert McAllister.

Brothers and Sisters - The Complete First Season is one of those series that takes you in and keeps you with them.  If you have not been to the Walker’s house yet, get over there and become a part of this family!

BONUS FEATURES:

• Bonus Un-Aired Episode
• Walker Family Tree
• The story behind the making of the compelling new series
• Bloopers
• Deleted Scenes
• Audio Commentaries

A great show with great promise for it’s new season.  Get hooked!  You’ll be glad you did!

Posted by Jenn @ 4:34 pm | Comments   | |

What About Brian? What about me?! I wanted more.

What About Brian- The Complete Series is out on DVD. The entire series? That means I got hooked on a series that didn’t last very long. However, it was well worth my time!

A tight knit group of friends living in Los Angeles embrace the web of relationships with humor and hope while navigating through life. Brian, the only unattached member of his clique, must navigate the tricky and sometimes cruel dating world while trying to nail down a stable career. In Season 1, Brian holds out for true love, but there’s one problem: his crush on best friend Adam’s fiancé Marjorie. Season 2 finds Brian heading down an altogether different road: in the dating fast-lane.

Matthew Davis plays Adam, with Sarah Lancaster as Marjorie. Rounding out the cast are stars Rick Gomez (Dave), Amanda Detmer (Deena), Tiffani Thiessen (Natasha), Jason George (Jimmy), Amanda Foreman (Ivy), Jessica Szohr (Laura) and Rosanna Arquette (Nicole).

What About Brian - The Complete Series contains 24 one-hour episodes from seasons one and two on 5-disc DVD set, plus cast interviews and behind the scenes bonus features that invite viewers into the clique.

What About Brian was a fun show to watch. But what about me? I liked it and want more. Which is one reason I am glad I have the entire series on DVD. At least I can watch it whenever I want to now. If you watched it and liked it, you really should buy it. If you have never seen it, I really recommend you get it and enjoy it. And you cannot even get mad that I am hooking you on a new show. You’ll have the entire series in the palm of your hands.

Posted by Jenn @ 4:34 pm | Comments   | |

I have no problem deceiving my children

October 12, 2007

I will admit to being skeptical when it came to an offer of yet another book about feeding your kids healthy foods and by sneaking them in. First? A cookbook? I hate cooking. Mainly because I am not so great when it comes to the kitchen. But more than that, there is a sure shot that at least two of my kids will turn their nose up at whatever may even resemble healthy. So, spending time in the kitchen making a healthy meal that no one is going to eat? No thanks. Unless it comes in a bag or has the word “nugget” in it, they are skeptical of this “healthy food” business.

When it comes to feeding my kids healthy foods, I have read many, many books on how to try to “trick” them into eating these foods and telling them that they are not healthy but yummy and oh so good. Many of these recommend things like “Put the broccoi into an ice cream cone and tell them it is a special treat!” Well, unless my kids were stupid (and they are not), they are not going to fall for this. Most of the “tricks” I tried failed miserably.

But I decided to check this one out? Why? Because this book puts it right out there. Deceptively Delicious. There it is right in your face. Deception. I like it! Written by Jessica Seinfeld and given the seal of approval by her kids and Jerry Seinfeld, I thought, “Why not try again?” But this book is different from the get-go. For the record, I did not see one recommendation to put broccoli in an ice cream cone. (Thank you, Jessica!)

“The trick to all of this is hiding vegetable purees in your children’s foods,” she says. “You can match the color of the puree to the color of the food that your kid is used to eating.”

I can do that! I can hide pureed food into main meals and trick these kids into eating it. (Or at least I was sure going to try it!) I decided to give it a go and use the recipe for chicken nuggets. (See previous sentence stating that nugget is a major part of my kids’ personal food pyramid.)

Then something miraculous happened. They ate it. No, really! They ate all of it. And liked it.

Deceptively Delicious is more than just a book about recipes. It has practical advice and tips on dealing with and conquering childhood obesity

By solving problems on a practical level for parents, Seinfeld addresses the big picture issues that surround childhood obesity and its long–term (and ruinous) effects on the body. With the help of a prominent nutritionist, her book provides parents with an arsenal of information related to kids’ nutrition so parents understand why it’s important to throw in a little avocado puree into their quesadillas. She discusses the critical importance of portion size, and the specific elements kids simply must have (as opposed to adults) in order to flourish now and in the future: protein, calcium, vitamins, and Omega 3 and 6 fats.

I think this just may be a first for me, but I most definitely going to recommend a cookbook to you. If you are a parent, this really is a must have for you. In fact, you can register to win one here. Go. Win it. Try it out. Realize that sometimes deceiving your kids (in this case into eating healthier foods and staying healthy as children) is a good thing.

I love this book and will use it for as long as I can. (Until they go to college is my guess.) Now, I am off to find other ways to deceive my kids. Does anyone know if there is a book about getting them to clean their room and making them think it is Big Fun?

(recipe after the jump)

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Posted by Jenn @ 8:40 am | 4 Comments   | |

It’s all about the girl…and she likes it!

September 24, 2007

My 6 year-old daughter loves to read. We are reading chapter books together but every once in a while she just wants to read a book that is an easy, fun read. These are the ones that she really gets into character when she reads. She likes to include the voices, the intonation and whatever drama she can create to get you into the story.

Enter her new favorite fun read: “Laughing All The Way To School.” Why is this book more unique than her others? Why because this one stars none other than HER! From the Printakid, personalized books for children comes a book that stars Gabriella and her friends. What first grade girl (or boy) doesn’t love to read all about herself and her friends? For that matter, who wouldn’t want a book all about themselves? (Someone should notify Harlequin that they may have an adult series to look into.)

I have seen some books that have personalization. However, those books have always fallen short. They read more as an “Insert Name Here” type of book. They tend to be impersonal with merely your child’s name inserted into a generic story. With Printakid, “the hero resembles your child, bears the same name and has the same family and friends. Even the illustrations look like him or her! The same skin tone, eyes, hair colour and hairstyle are shown.”

My daughter loves this book. She loves to read about her friends, herself and the fun times they have in school when (as the story goes that she chose) the children and the teachers begin to turn into animals! She laughs when her best friend becomes a baboon. She giggles when her teacher and her other friends and the entire school turns into animals. I won’t tell you how she manages to fix it, but suffice it to say that as the hero of the book, she was able to fix this crazy, mixed-up school.

My daughter loved this book so much we immediately went online to buy her another title as well as one for her best friend. Printakid and their personalized books for children are great books for children of all ages. Even if you child has moved on to chapter books, they will get a kick out of being the star and the hero of these books. I highly recommend you look into and get one of these books for your child. They will love it! In fact, I just may get one for myself. They are that enjoyable to everyone.

So go to Printakid, look at the titles and choose one for your child (or yourself) today. I promise you will thoroughly enjoy it.

—

For more reviews on this book and others, go to Parent Bloggers Network and see what others are saying. (Though, yes, my word should be enough!)

Posted by Jenn @ 7:45 am | 2 Comments   | |

I like-a my RYKÄs

September 10, 2007

Okay, so that may not be the best title, but I do love my new RYKÄ Walking Shoes. When I was asked if I wanted to try out some new shoes for either walking or running, I immediately jumped on it. First, because I do love me some new shoes. Secondly, I have had a pair of Ryka shoes before that I wore so often they actually begged for a break. (Then the dog ate what I did not abuse with my over-use of these shoes. I seriously missed my RYKÄs.) And of course, I have to admit, I do love all things shoes.

I decided that the best choice for me would be a pair of their walking shoes. They sent me their MC2 walking shoes. I recently started to get back into exercising and let’s face it, I was not going to go from “not so much working out” to running. And can I just tell you how very pretty these shoes are? Now, I realize that pretty does not mean they are the best, but the pretty makes it so much easier to love them. Look! Tell me they aren’t pretty with their white (goes with everything) color and their reflective accents. (You know you want a pair, too. Keep reading and find out how you can get yourself some of these Rockin’ RYKÄs.)

I have worn these shoes daily since I received them. With three kids and a Doberman who insists that just one walk a day is not nearly enough, I have had more than my share of test driving walking these shoes. I love them. I really do. They provide the support and comfort that I need and want in exercise shoes. Ryka describes these shoes on their site as:

C2 cushion technology in heel; Nitracel in the forefoot; TPU midfoot and webshank; TPU midfoot overlay; Blown rubber and high abrasion rubber outsole; Reflective upper accents.

I describe them as kicking style meets functionality. Honestly, when I think of exercise shoes, I think of either ugly or uncomfortable. I am not 20 anymore and my feet need to be taken care of. I have high arches and bad knees and…well, I am not 20 anymore. These shoes fit all of my criteria for being the perfect shoe for my newly acquired walking routine. Now, had you sent me out to buy shoes to start my new routine, I would have stumbled around the shoe department until I found something that was good enough. With RYKÄ, I found the shoes that were not just good enough, but hugged my feet like they were in an intimate relationship. I love them so much I would lick them–if I didn’t know where I had already walked in them. (And did I mention how pretty they are?)

And you know how most new shoes have a break-in period where you just accept that you will suffer for a while? Not happening with these. They slipped on my feet and we had a perfect match from day one. AND if you are not sure what kind of shoe you need, all you have to do is go to their site, use their feature that helps you find the shape of your foot. (No, all feet are not created equal!) After that, move on over to RYKÄ Shoe Finder where you can take a little quiz to find the right shoe for you. (It’s an easy quiz! I promise you will pass with an A+) It’s like Match dot com but for your feet.

My RYKÄ’s and I are currently in a blissful relationship. I would propose, but that might be overkill. Now, I totally realize it is cliché to say that they put a bounce in my step, but they really do. They have little bubble in the heal that really do add a spring to your step. Look at the bottom and you can see the bubbles. Happy little air bubbles that make my walk a bit bouncier and happier. And who doesn’t like a happy walker? I know my Doberman is thrilled that I walked with more of a bounce in my step rather than a constant moan because my feet hurt.

Want some RYKÄ? (You know you do!)

• RYKÄ is giving away 50 (FIFTY!) pairs of shoes a day through October 25th (AND 50 performance tees per day.)
• The Parent Bloggers Network will be holding a Blog Blast this Friday (Sept 14). If you participate you can win an entire outfit (PLUS shoes) from RYKÄ! Now, it is a given that you want to participate in that one! In addition to that, four more bloggers will each win a pair of shoes. (Pretty shoes! Rockin’ RYKÄ shoes.)
• And, if neither of those options work out for you and you are still envious of my rockin’ RYKÄ’s , you need to just walk (or run–they have awesome running shoes) and you can buy them to love for your very own. While you are there, check out their great work-out clothes. They have some great apparel, too. It’s a win-win for everyone! Cute clothes. Rockin’ walkin’ shoes. How can you lose? (Answer: You can’t!)

tags: Ryka, reviews, Parent Bloggers Network, Mommy Needs Coffee

Posted by Jenn @ 8:38 am | 1 Comment   | |

Boogie nights! Aint no doubt Wii are here to party!

September 7, 2007

It isn’t like you haven’t heard me talk about Wii’s Boogie before. I wrote an article about the game for EA (Electronic Arts) that has been featured on several sites. You can hear my official word on what the game entails with that article.

Wii brought back family game night to my house. Not only that, it is an active family game night. No more sitting on the couch and pretending to be involved. With titles that get all of us up off our seats and jumping, gyrating and hopping around, we found ourselves laughing, active and doing something we all enjoy together. To quote the fine folks at EA, “Wii is expanding videogames to untapped markets pulling in a new audience of gamers that typically did not play games in the past.” Finally, there is a company that understands that there’s a large market of people who are not the typical gamers but would like to join in the fun. They found that in my family. They found that in me.

Here on my Freshed Brewed Reviews you can read about the actual Family Fun it brought into our house. Times when I would completely get my groove on and make my teen “want to eat his own face off” because of the horror of my singing and dancing move. Apparently I was not busting a move but rather completely breaking it. Shattering it. Making it want to hide under the couch and no longer be “a move” that would be “busted.” But the fun? The fun rocks the house!

When we got our box from Parent Bloggers, my daughter and I ripped off the packaging because we wanted to be the first to Boogie in our house. The tween and teen acted as if they didn’t want to join us. (They were so faking nonchalance!) We fired up that bad boy in our Wii and began to shake it, sing it and create it.

I have to confess something, but it has to stay between us. I absolutely adore Karaoke. I used to go to Karaoke night to WATCH on weekly basis with a huge group of friends. Never, ever to sing. No. But suddenly I was handed a microphone and a master song list and I was Madonna Britney Spears Fergie. The moving the character to have the best dance moves. Trying to stay on pitch. (HA!) Trying to pretend to get the words correct. That is a lot of multi-tasking for me. But the fun and the laughter was contagious.

Before I knew it, my boys had joined us. Then my husband got home from work and became a part of the party, too. Family night was in the house!

I was slightly disappointed in the song list. I was hoping for more variation. Don’t get me wrong, there is variation, but I wish it had popular songs represented from more genres and generations. Hit songs that had more of a broad appeal. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being “Fergalicious” and busting out with “You’re the One That I Want” yet I wish there were more. Perhaps Boogie 2? (Wii? We love you. We love you so much we feel we can tell you that we think you should add more songs. We can help. We love you. Help us help you. I’m just saying.)

But honestly, the best part of the game is that we can all play it. From my 6 year old to my husband. We can dance and sing and laugh and have fun as a family. We each customized our Boogie and have face offs. (I am so the Queen here!)

We have had a blast with the Video Creator. We make our own videos showing off our mad skillz and then slam down a challenge to the next family member to top it. Competitive in its own right. You don’t have to be a hardcore gamer to enjoy this game. Just someone who wants to have fun, blow off steam and get active. Because take my word for it, you will have to be active to get into this game. And you will want to get into this game. It is fun. What more do you need? Fun. Family. Singing. Dancing. It’s like the Sound of Music. Only without Julie Andrews. And you don’t have to wear your curtains for play clothes. Other than that? Totally like The Sound of Music. Or in our house, The Sound of Howler Monkeys.

It’s hard enough for today’s family to carve out some quality-time between work, school and the million other commitments that keep us all moving so fast, so that quality-time needs to center around an activity that gets everyone excited and eager to play. And while some board games are fun for the whole family, there are only so many times you can play them. I found myself wanting to mix it up with something new and different. That is Boogie.

Posted by Jenn @ 9:08 am | 2 Comments   | |

Little Black Book of (I have no) Style

I have no style. None. No. Wait. I do. My style is “I work from home so I can wear my pj’s and socks all day and no one cares” OR when I need to get dressed up I have “I am a PTA mom and can get away with jeans and t-shirts because kids make messes” style. So I have style. In fact, Nina Garcia (best known for her appearnace as the unerring, fromidable fashion judge on Project Runway), author of The Little Black Book of Style says I can have my own style. Though I know that is not what she had in mind when that message came across. Actually, I really did like the message that I can create my own style. One that makes me feel confident. (And I do mean beyond pj’s or jeans and t-shirts.) I love that there is such a strong emphasis on “being your own muse” and creating your own style. Without the freak.

As for how much I will actually get out of this book, probably not as much as someone else who is out and about in the “real world” more than I happen to be. I am not sure the book is the right fit for me, but it is nevertheless and incredible book. My favorite section? The Fashion Cliff Notes Decade by Decade. The illustrations are beautiful! Ruben Toledo is an illustrating master.

I do recommend this book for women who are looking for a bit of style guidance. It is a great, quick read with incredible advice from people who know fashion and style. I even learned a thing or two about ways to update my style. Just because I am a PTA/Soccer mom doesn’t mean I have to look like a slob. And just because I will never wear anything that is fresh off of a runway doesn’t mean I cannot have style.

Style is internal. And everyone can create their own. And good style? It will bring out your confidence. And any woman who has confidence is beautiful!

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Posted by Jenn @ 7:52 am | 2 Comments   | |

Dads are parents, too! Fathering your school-age child

August 20, 2007

Okay, I admit it.  I signed up with Parent Bloggers to review the book Fathering Your School Age Child:  A Dad’s Guide to the Wonder Years 3 to 9 so that my husband would read it and then he could take over the review for a day.  But then something strange happened.  I read it.  And like it.  And by the very virtue of my reading a book, he pretty much read it, too.  Why?  Conversations like this:

Did you know you should weigh your child’s backpack once in a while?

Why?

To make sure it is under the 10-15% of your child’s weight.  Duh!

It does not say that.  Let me see that!

And then he was off reading and then telling me about what he read.  Of course, that is just an example.  But the whole book has practical advice for Dads. And no just Dads, but for any parent.  PRACTICAL.  Imagine that.

From playing, to volunteering.  From teaching your child to being your child’s advocate.  It covers just about everything you can think about.  From the Mr.Dad.com website:

When is it the best time to encourage a child’s independence? What’s
the difference between daycare vs. preschool? What are the unique ways
fathers impact their youngster’s life? The answers to these questions
and hundreds more are found in the pages of this easy-to-follow,
informative volume. With wisdom, compassion, and humor, author Armin
Brott devotes a chapter to each school year from pre-kindergarten
through the fourth grade. In each chapter he outlines the physical,
intellectual, emotional, and social changes the child is going though,
and examines the emotional and psychological development the father may
be experiencing. He also discusses issues that develop between dad and
mom as well as matters that involve the whole family. In addition, each
chapter contains a section called "You and Your Child," in which
activities and issues appropriate to the given age are discussed.

At the end of the book there is a plethora or resources.  Good resources.  Relevant resources.  Resources that would make a resource junky like myself weep. 

One of my favorite parts to discuss with my husband was the quick reference "Talking the Talk."  It is about Internet lingo and net-speak.

What does A3 mean?

What?

A3.  Tell me what it means.

I don’t know.

Bad!  You need to know.  It means anytime, anywhere, anyplace!  Seriously!
What about IPN?

Something about urinating?

Ha ha.  Seriously.  IPN?  What do you do if you see that?

*blank stare*

It means "I’m posting naked!"  Naked.  We better NEVER see IPN.  Ever.  Read this.

That is when he grabbed the book and started reading more to me.  This is a great book that is relevant.  Honestly, it is not just for Dads, but awesome for Fathers.  A book that really does show the practical ways to interact, become involved and learn more about what is going on with your child. 

The author, Armin Brott has also written books for Expectant Fathers, New Fathers, Toddlers and Fatherhood for Life.  He is a wonderful author with resources I recommend all Fathers read.  Easily laid out with handy reference guides and resources with all of his books.

Go check out his site and find out more.  He has a lot more information on his site, too.  Including a podcast and newsletter.

Posted by Jenn @ 10:06 am | Comments   | |

Wild Hogs- Wild Ride

August 14, 2007

Today Wild Hogs is released on DVD. Go get it. Seriously, you can come back here and read this later. Because no matter what I have to say about the movie will never be as funny as the movie itself.

With a star-studded cast of men that I adore, I knew it would be a hit. Hilarious men equals hilarious movie. (At least in this case.) Starring John Travolta (Woody- the man whose life is crumbling as he remains in denial), Tim Allen (Doug- the stuck in a rut dentist), Martin Lawrence (Bobby- the author wanna-be with an over-bearing wife), and William H. Macy (Dudley- the computer programmer who is all geek). Putting these men together in one movie was brilliant casting. It works. Logically, it may not make sense to see these four men as friends, but the way they play off of each other really does work for them. Think a semi-middle aged version of a National Lampoon’s movie. You are going to go for some cheap laughs, but cheap or not, you do laugh.

The premise of the story involves four men who collectively are going through a mid-life crisis of some sort and decide to take to the open road from Cincinnati to the Pacific Ocean. Just the guys, their motorcycles and the open road. (Even had a funny no cell phones–smash them moment.)

They don their leathers, fire up their hogs and throw caution and their
cell phones to the wind as they hit the open highway. A lot can happen
on the road to nowhere, including a run-in with the bad-to-the-bone Del
Fuegos, a real biker gang who don’t take kindly to the wannabes.

Ray Liotta is brilliantly cast as the “leader” of a real motorcycle gang, The Del Fuegos. A rough, tough, trouble making gang that can only lead to disaster when they encounter The Wild Hogs. (John Travolta’s best scenes are when it involves the Del Fuegos. From looks he gives, to body language to the lines he delivers.)

Now, being from Cow-Tipping country, I loved the Slap the Bull scene. No, really. They slap the bull. On the butt. But what happens when you slap a bull on the butt the second time? Watch it for yourself. (This will open a window that has the clip.) For more clips, go here and see a few more.

I really enjoyed this movie and know that I will watch it more than once. There is just no way to catch all of the lines in this movie the first time around. To me, that is a bonus. The desire to watch a movie again and again.

The disc is packed full of bonus features as well.

Bonus Features

• Bikes, Brawls and Burning Bars: The Making of Wild Hogs
Director Walt Becker leads viewers through the process of putting together the A-list cast and describes
the difficulty of shooting a road movie involving over 100 motorcycles! Tim Allen, John Travolta, Martin
Lawrence and William H. Macy talk about working together to form the least-threatening biker gang in
history. Also, see interviews with the stunt and special effects crews.

• Alternate Ending
The Highway Patrolman (John C. McGinley) has one last run-in with the guys in the original ending to
the film.

• Deleted Scenes
“Molar Abscess” features John Travolta’s sister, and “Chili Pepper,” a feature which shows a hilarious
run-in with the Del Fuegos at the Chili Cook-off.

• Audio Commentary
Feature-length commentary by director Walt Becker and writer Brad Copeland.

• How to Get Your Wife to Let You Buy a Motorcycle *
A funny featurette about the virtues of motorcycle ownership.

• Outtakes

• Easter Egg

This is one of those movies you want your friends to see so that you can throw out those great one-liners that only people who have seen the movie will understand. Or maybe that is just how I love to react to movies. In either case, you will want to share this one with your friends!

For more information, go to the Wild Hogs official website. There are a lot of great gems to enjoy there.

Posted by Jenn @ 1:02 pm | Comments   | |

Becoming Jane (A movie review that is spoiler-free)

August 11, 2007

When given a chance to see a movie that does not involve talking animals or animated anything, I jump at it.  I was thrilled to be able to go see Becoming Jane all by myself.  As in alone. 

Now, one thing that is stressed over and over about the movie is that it is a fictional account based on Jane Austen’s life.  Honestly, I just don’t know enough about Jane Austen’s life to know fact from fiction, so that detail did not bother me one bit or take away any part of the enjoyment factor.  If you are a die-hard Austen fan with extensive knowledge of her life, just know going in this is a fictional account.

I was eager to see the star, Anne Hathaway,  in this type of role. (Seeing as I was used to her in movies like Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted.) Let me first say, I thought her accent was impeccable. Not that I am awesome at picking out what is spot on, but I can get quite irritated with a bad accent. (Enough so that I will leave a movie over it.  It was completely  not an issue with Anne.  I became absolutely immersed in her character to remember she was an American.)  Anne played this character as if she were born to bring the beloved Jane Austen to life for us–fictionalized or not.  She nailed this role unlike any I have seen in a while.  She had spunk and sass and made her bring her character to life in such a way that you really wanted to know her as a personal friend. Her classic beauty and ability to act was such that you become completely immersed in her character.  For me, that is what made the movie more like the experience of climbing into a book with one of Jane Austen’s own fictional characters and living life with them. 

The official movie teaser states:

“Becoming Jane,” is the story of the great, untold romance that
inspired a young Jane Austen, played by Anne Hathaway.  Willful and
spirited, Jane is not ready to be tied down to anything but her
writing. That is until she meets Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy), a charming
rogue from London who spends more time drinking and socializing than on his law studies.

What is not to love with a description like that?  This movie was ultimately a love story.  But even more than the romance it teases and promises you, there was a real love in this movie. A love story for the ages from ages ago.  (Though, I now know that the actual relationship with Tom Lefroy (played in the movie by James McAvoy was less a love affair than a flirtation in real life.)  In the movie, it just worked so beautifully as a full blown love affair of the heart.  This story  and the relationship between the characters has been suggested as the the inspiration behind the classical banter between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice.

I have to admit one of my favorite scenes in the movie was the dialog regarding Jane and her writing.  (Thank you IMDB for pulling it out as a memorable quote as well.)

Mrs. Austen:  JANE!

 Lady Gresham:  What is she doing?

 Mr. Wisley:  Writing.

 Lady Gresham:  Can anything be done about it?

A romance with humor.  Best combination ever.  Combine that with the amazing period costumes and settings, and I was sucked in and became the total romance sap that I am!  Confession time:  I love period pieces and always forgot how much until I see one done as well as Become Jane was done.  A wonderful piece of work for the eyes, the ears and the heart.  I highly recommend seeing this movie.  Grab a box of Kleenex and a good girlfriend and go see it.  And remember regardless of whether or not this is a fictional account or not, it is a beautiful love story that is a must see.   

I plan on seeing it again.  Want to join me?

—

For more MotherTalk reviews on Becoming Jane, visit www.mother-talk.com.

Posted by Jenn @ 6:43 pm | Comments   | |

Hannah Montana - Pop Star Profile

August 4, 2007

Hannah Montana-Pop Star Profile was released on DVD by Walt Disney Home Entertainment and has become a staple on our TV since the day we received it!

How does a super popular and talented singer and actress celebrate and promote a new DVD release?  Well, obviously she does a free concert to entertain, celebrate and promote.  And there are pictures.  (We love pictures!) Want to see them?  Go here and enjoy the fun that you missed!  But do not despair.  This DVD is full of the fun that you can miss over and over and NOT miss any fun!

Here in our home we are big fans of  Hannah Montana. Huge!  I am pretty sure that we have not missed an episode yet.  In fact, when the familiar theme song is heard, activities around the house stop so that my daughter and I can drop everything to lip synch with the Hannah Montana theme song.  Fun times. Seriously.

(Side note:  Did you know that her real name is not "Miley" but rather her nickname as a child was "Smiley" and thus morphed into "Miley"?  You are welcome for that little tidbit.  Share it with your friends and family.)

Back to the DVD, this four-episode story arc is the latest collection to release on
DVD from the incredibly popular Disney Channel original series.  It follows the "budding relationship" between Hannah/Miley and Jake Ryan  (Cody Linley), the popular celebrity that she has butt heads with since their initial meeting.

It also has bonus features: You get a chance to meet Miley Cyrus’s real-life family in meet "The Real Miley Cyrus" (Yes, she is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus!) and you get to experience Hannah live in  a concert performance of one of Hannah’s new songs, "Nobody’s
Perfect"! (Always a bonus!)

If you want to see a clip of some of this great DVD, go here and get a sneak peek of what you want to own for youself. If you have Hannah Montana fans in your family, this is a must have DVD. 

So, go out today and get your own copy because I watch mine too often to share.

Posted by Jenn @ 10:34 am | Comments   | |

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass DVD

August 3, 2007

When High School Musical came out, I crossed my arms and declared, "It is not Grease!" but watched it with my kids anyway.  And, yes, I loved it!  All gazillion times I watched it.  When they came out with High School Musical, The Concert - Extreme Access Pass I could not wait to see it.  Honestly.

I knew all the songs by heart at this point and thought a concert would be a blast.

The cast of High School Musical embarked on a
North American tour in 2006-2007 to promote High School Musical and
High School Musical 2 (coming to a TV set near you August 17, 2007!  (Cannot wait!) (THe concert was sadly minus Zac Efron–which was a huge disappointment to my daughter, but he had movie business to take care of, so we forgave him.  His replacement was incredible.)

It was in every sense a a concert and not a stage version of the movie.  It was energetic, fun and full of the songs that we have come to know and love!  And, yes, my daughter and I did dance and sing along with the cast. 

High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass DVD
features the very talented stars of High School Musical:   The ever energetic, Corbin Bleu
(“Chad”). The gorgeous Monique Coleman (“Taylor”). The very enthusiastic Lucas Grabeel (“Ryan”). The knock out beauty Vanessa
Hudgens (“Gabriella”). And always fun and funny Ashley Tisdale (“Sharpay”) joined by the
Emmy Award-nominated singer/songwriter Drew Seeley, who co-wrote the
hit "Get’cha Head in the Game".  (And who does not love that song?  I sing it to my kids whenever they get "spacey" or are not paying attention.

This is one of those videos that you will watch over and over.  I can attest to this because I do believe I am nearing triple digits on this video.

Out in stores now, I highly recommend if you have kids, love fun and entertaining music and enjoyed High School Musical, it is a must for your DVD collection!

Posted by Jenn @ 10:07 am | Comments   | |

Dream Weaver

July 19, 2007

<Recently my sister told me of her newly instated rule where her older son has a set time of 30 minutes of daily reading.  My first question of course was, "Does video game reading count?"  Obviously the answer was "Not so much."   It got me thinking of my own kids.  Two of them are older and I realized that summer does not mean a complete halt to anything that has to do with reading, writing or arithmetic.  (Though I am very lenient on the arithmetic except when it comes to making them add up how much money it will cost to actually buy the games/toys/electronics they want. They hate that math!)   So, when The Parent Bloggers Network offered up the chance to have a book geared towards my middle son sent out way, I jumped at that one.

My son loved reading Eragon and was plowing through the second one when The Dark Dreamweaver, the first in the Remin Chronicles,  arrived.  Just in time for vacation where I knew he would need and want down time.  At first, my son was hesitant to start a new series or book.  Until, I told him we could read it together. Any one on one time is a bonus for any of my children.  So, we jumped right in.

From the Dreamweaver website:

The Remin Chronicles are filled with adventure, endearing characters
both human and nonhuman, magic and wizardry, subplots that teach a bit
of environmental science, key roles for children, and of course, an
epic struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil. The
young heroes triumph using their wits and imagination, and there is
very little fighting.

I will confess to not being eager to jump in…simple because I am not a huge fan of sciece fiction.  (I was dragged into a few by my son and was never disappointed.)  Zarek and I jumped right in.

We found this book to be both imaginative and  creative.  The book is filled with a strong main character who is filled both determination and strength that is a great model for the tween set.    The book is filled with suspense and enough magic and wizardry to make any tween forget he is actually reading during the summer time!

But what is it about?

Eleven-year-old David is suffering from nightmares. Over and over
again, he dreams about a strange, bear-like man with black eyes. He’s
not the only one; an epidemic of nightmares seems to have infected the
Earth. David takes matters into his own hands and embarks on an
adventure to Remin, a land powered by dreams. Aided by a caterpillar
wizard, a jellyfish-man, two wise-cracking water serpents, and several
other unusual characters, he sets out to find and confront the evil
wizard who is causing the nightmares. The challenges that he encounters
will require all of his intelligence, his courage, and most of all, his
imagination.

It got my attention from that description.  And off we go into a world of wizards, magic and an adventure into the land of Remin.

Nick Ruth writes with a fast pace that keeps the interest of even the most active reader.  The book is action packed and filled with adventures that are not frightening but are in fact fascinating enough to get the imagination of your own child revved up. The imagery is  wonderfully vivid!  One of the features I enjoyed most was how good and evil confront each other in dreams. Each page taking you on a new adventure with the main character and never feeling the fear or gloom that many science fiction writers tend to include to keep a reader interested.  This book did not need that.

David a believable character most kids can identify with.  A "normal" kid who is forced to dig deep and find his inner strength, imagination, determination and strong will.  I am pretty sure that David is a kid that any one of us would have hung out with at that age.

—

For more information on The Remin Chronicle be sure to visit the official website.  To order your own copy of The Dark Dreamweaver, click here.  Want to see what other readers thought, be sure to go over to The Parent Bloggers Network and read other reviews.  In fact, The Parent Blogger Network is giving away copies of both The Dark Dreamweaver and The Breezes of Inspire via a random drawing. All you have to do is comment on this post to be entered in the drawing. Free books for summer reading is good thing!

Posted by Jenn @ 10:40 am | Comments   | |

The 24- Hour Pharmacist

July 16, 2007

If you know my history, you know that when the fine people behind the Parent Bloggers Network asked me to review The 24 Hour Pharmacist, I was all over that bad boy.  Come to find out it really isn’t a 24-hour free-for-all pharmacy, but an awesome replacement!

Seeing as I once thought a pill could cure all ills, I am now living in a world where I am more careful, more responsible, and definitely up for anything that is a natural remedy for what ails you.  Enter the wonderful Suzy Cohen and her book The 24 Hour Pharmacist.  And it is so well written!  No, really!  I laughed.  I laughed while reading a book about HEALTH issues. About someone saying pills are not the answer.  (I usually only meet them in meetings.)  But Suzy wrote with humor and fun!  Not so common when talking health and such.  Take the way she breaks down the book into these sections:  Above the Waist, Above the Neck, Below the Waist, and Everything In Between.  Not to mention, Think Outside the Pill. 

She had me at her chapter on Overcoming Fatigue.  (Sadly, the answer was not more coffee, but she did have answers! That made sense!)  She kept me at A Nation of Insomniacs.  I think I proposed at Surge Protection for your Hot Flashes.    All of these chapters have not only natural solutions, but practical advice that anyone can  take.

This book is truly a one of a kind resource when it comes to health and wellness.  With humor, candor and a an unflinchingly upfront approach to health, Suzy Cohen gives us a book that is better than any Google search could ever give you,  (And with more wit!)

This is one book that every home should have.  Really.  Don’t believe me?  Buy it for yourself and you will thank me.  I will send you my address so you can send me your letters of adoration.

Posted by Jenn @ 12:44 pm | Comments   | |