Release Info:
DVD Release Date: June 30, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

As a parent to a young daughter and fan of the Jonas Brothers, I was excited to carry out this review. My main concern when I received the Jonas Brothers: Concert Experience Extended Movie was how the program would be complied. I knew Disney would do a reputable job, but I was concerned with the flow of the DVD content. I mean this program is a compilation of concerts, so how could Disney make it flow together? Well, I still don’t know the technicalities of it all, but I do know that there wasn’t a single awkward pause from concert to concert, making the movie seamless.

In this Extended Movie set, there were not only many concerts to tickle your fancy, but you get to enjoy an inside look at the lives of Kevin, Joe and Nick. You can experience the tour and the adventure with them. There are also special guest appearances from Demi Lovato and Taylor Swift, as well as, two songs not heard or seen when this debuted in theaters.

Personally, I think Disney did an excellent job of taking us on tour with the Jonas Brothers and giving us an inside look at what this dynamic trio does. As for Eliana my six-year-old daughter who loves the Jo Bros, this program did nothing for her. The movie just could not hold her attention. When it came to the concerts she enjoyed them, but everything else was just filler and ‘boring’ for her. On the other hand, her ten-year-old girlfriend was glued! Having all that said, I believe that this is a program for huge Jonas Brothers fans and is more geared for the tween to teen crowd.

The Jonas Brothers: The Concert Experience Extended Edition Plot
In the Jonas Brothers’ movie debut, Disney gives you a front row seat and a behind the scenes pass to the entire concert experience with Kevin, Joe and Nick. The Jonas Brothers: Concert Experience Extended Edition lets you look into what goes on before and after the concerts. This exclusive movie includes, bonus features like two songs that were not heard or seen on the big screen and never before seen performances.

What a treat! And if that wasn’t enough, there are special guest appearances by Taylor Swift and Demi Lovato. The meat and potatoes of the DVD is mainly made up of singing and dancing. That’s why this is the Jonas Brothers’ concert experience. I would expect nothing less. While the behind the scenes moments are a nice touch, it is nice to see that the Jo Bros stuck with what they do best, on stage.

Some of the excerpts are from the Jonas Brothers’ Burning Up concert tour, which happened in 2008. Over 1 million fans experienced this concert first hand, and now they will have the chance to re-experience the adventure. For those of us who never had the chance to attend this concert (especially those young girls who so badly wanted to go), this is our way to experience what was deemed one of the hottest concerts of 2008!

The never before seen song performances are for “Love Is On Its Way” and “Live To Party.”

Storyline/Plot: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 3 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 4 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The Jonas Brothers: Concert Experience Extended Edition was filmed in HD with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The concert scenes were fantastic! You truly felt the concert experience right in your living room. As for some of the other scenes, like before or after the concert, they were somewhat hard to watch. The camera was up, down and moving around quite a bit. But other than that, there was nothing to complain about. The picture was clean without errors or dirt.

The audio for the movie was in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and was crisp and clear. The concert sounded wonderful and the dialogue was consistently clear. In addition to the standard audio options you can see this movie with French or Spanish subtitles.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
In this movie there are three main bonus features. They include two songs in concert and two featurettes. First, the two never before heard songs in concert are “Love Bug” and “Shelf.” Both are great new Jo Bros songs that my daughter and her friend enjoyed.

The second set of bonus features includes the featurettes. The first featurette is the Up Close and Personal With the Jonas Brothers. Here is where the Jonas Brothers share their love for their fans and take you on their “Burning Up Tour.” You definitely have the premium back stage pass on this segment. You get to see everything from the stage rehearsals to the day the tour begins in Toronto, Canada. This was a really cool inside look at what goes on before the Jonas Brothers shows!

And finally, the last featurette is Dylan and Cole Sprouse Blu-Ray is Suite. Here the twins from The Suite Life on Deck talk about the advantages of Blu-Ray discs and Blu-Ray players. I found this segment to be very informative, especially since I do not yet own a Blu-Ray player or any discs. I just might have to convince my husband to get one. With the Extended Movie Edition you will also receive a digital copy. This digital copy allows you to watch the movie anywhere, anytime and on almost any potable device.

Last but not least, there are several sneak peaks for other hot Disney programs. These programs include Race To Witch Mountain, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Tinkerbell The Lost Treasure, Earth, Burning Up, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, G-Force, Jonas, Disney Blu-Ray Magic in High-Def and Disney Movie Rewards.

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
If you have or know a diehard Jonas fan, this is the movie for them! What more could a Jo Bros fan want? This DVD has everything from live concerts to the inside lives of the brothers and it also has awesome bonus features. Just make sure your child is old enough to actually benefit from watching this concert. My daughter is six and at times, she found that the lack of action on screen led to boredom. This is highly recommended for hardcore Jonas fans, most of all.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD, DVD Review, Movie Review, Jonas Brothers, Disney

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: June 26, 2009
DVD Release Date: June 30, 2009
Online Availability: Amazon for $17.49

The writers at Disney never cease to amaze me. I love their programs; everything from the classics to their new movies. When I had the opportunity to review the Princess Protection Program I knew it was going to be a great family film. The Disney programs never disappointment me with the characters, plot and the lessons shown in their films. My daughter and I sat and enjoyed the movie and Bonus Features together. What a treat for the both of us!

As a parent, and avid Disney Channel watcher, Princess Protection Program had everything I needed to keep me engaged throughout the entire movie. Demi Lavato as Princess Rosalinda/Rosie and Selena Gomez as an everyday girl and tomboy Carter Mason was a perfect pairing, especially for fans of Hannah Montana and Camp Rock.

I feel this is a fantastic film to teach young girls and boys that just because you are from one side of the world or the other you may still have things in common. Just because you come from different backgrounds doesn’t mean you cannot become great friends. Also, another lesson can be found by not judging a book by its cover. I love this lesson, any which way it’s written and Disney did a bang-up job of presenting it.

My daughter, Eliana, is a big fan of Wizards Of Waverly Place and to see Selena Gomez in a different production was really exciting for her. Of course, seeing Demi Lavato as a princess was the icing on the cake. Even though Eliana is only six years old, she totally understood the message Disney was trying to deliver. She enjoyed every part of the movie and the Bonus Features, too. This is a movie that we will watch over and over, and it’s sure to be a hit at our future slumber parties.

The Princess Protection Program Plot
Princess Protection Program is a wildly exciting reality check for two teenage girls whose lives are turned upside due to unforeseen circumstances. This Disney Channel Original Movie stars Selena Gomez (Wizards Of Waverly Place) as Carter Mason and Demi Lavato (Sonny With A Chance) as Princess Rosalinda Maria Montoya Fioré/Rosie.

Carter’s father, an agent in the covert international Princess Protection Program, brings home Rosie to live as Carter’s “cousin” until it is safe for her to return to her home in Costa Luna. The fact that this is a measure of protection that is necessary for the girl doesn’t matter much to her or the tomboy she is forced to become a “relative” to.

The girls are from two entirely different worlds and in the beginning all they notice is the differences of the other girl. It doesn’t change the fact that these two girls have to learn to get along. Of course, it doesn’t take long for them to learn that they have more in common than meets the eye.

Rosie might not seem like the kind of princess that would be a good fit for Louisiana, but with Carter at her side (like it or not) she soon learns to adapt. Rosie finds herself roughing-it and learns to act like an everyday girl. Meanwhile Carter, with the help of Rosie, finds her inner princess.

Storyline/Plot: 5 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 5 out of 5 stars
Acting: 5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 5 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
The video and audio for the Princess Protection Program was across the board incredible. The picture was crisp, clean and clear throughout the movie. The aspect ratio is 1.78:1 and looks great. There were spots in the movie where I felt as though I was right there. In some movies I have noticed that the scenes seem to be on a green screen or just man made, but this was not the case for this film.

The audio for the movie is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound with tracks in French and Spanish. The main tracks are in English and sound superb. I cannot comment on the French or Spanish tracks, but I am led to believe they would be just as favorable. There wasn’t a time that I had to adjust the volume or color for this movie.

Visual: 5 out of 5 stars
Audio: 5 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a couple of bonus features for Princess Protection Program. The thing I liked most about these bonuses is that they should be fun for kids that liked the movie. A lot of times, kids are left out of the bonus features, but these ones are enjoyable to the young girls that will make up the core audience for this DVD.

There are three main features for this film. Included are two featurettes and a music video. The music video, “One And the Same” stars both Gomez and Lavato who sing together. Their fans should enjoy this quite a bit. I know that we did!

The featurettes included are “Royal & Loyal BFF’s” and “A Royal Reality”. Both of these are quite entertaining, though I think seeing and hearing from the real life princess was the most exciting option, causing “A Royal Reality” to be the real winner. In “Royal & Loyal” we get a chance to see what real life good friends Lavato and Gomez are. They dish about their friendship and it’s great for their fans to see how much they truly seem to like one another. In “A Royal Reality” kids get a chance to see and hear from a real life princess. While she cannot tell too much about her background, kids get a chance to see that she’s just like most other girls even though she comes from a completely different world. It’s definitely enlightening!

Other than that the only thing that qualifies as special features are the previews. This disk includes previews for Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Princess and the Frog, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Race to Witch Mountain, Sonny with a Chance, Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure, Earth, and Hatching Pete/Dadnapped Double Feature.

Bonus Features: 5 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line:
Disney has created yet another fantastic family movie. The Princess Protection Program will be played over and over again at my house if my daughter has anything to say about it.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: DVD, DVD Review, Movie Review, Disney, Family, Princess Protection Program

Piggy Paint Nail Polish is a non-toxic, hypo-allergenic, and odorless child-friendly product. The nail polish was founded by a stay-at-home mom of two girls who enjoyed having their fingers and toes painted. However the founder, Melanie Hurley, hated the idea of the toxic chemicals in ‘regular’ nail polishes for her daughters, so she came up with this fantastic product for little girls, as well as a non-toxic polish remover.

Application is simple. Just wash hands with soap and water, apply and let dry for approximately 60 seconds. The directions also stated you can dry with a hair dryer for a harder, more durable finish. I found that air drying was sufficient and that the color held up without chipping for about a week.

There are 16 beautiful colors to choose from. We had the pleasure of reviewing an electric blue color named Tea Party for Two. What a nice color! It wasn’t too dark or flashy at all. For my daughter, it was perfect.

Color Options: 5 out of 5 stars

Eliana is a very independent, six year old girl, so when we received the Piggy Paint she had to do it herself. She did a great job! There were some areas on her toes and fingers that needed to be cleaned up around the cuticle areas. And for that we used the Piggy Paint Nail Polish Remover with a tissue to remove the excess polish.

Ease of Use: 5 out of 5 stars

Piggy Paint is a fantastic product for little girls of all ages. I would suggest adult supervision for the younger girls, but if older girls have had experience its not necessary. This product does allow for the younger girls to learn colors, coordination and tons of creativity.

Kid-Friendliness: 4 out of 5 stars

Personally if I had not received Piggy Paint to review I would have passed it by and not considered purchasing it for my daughter. It is a bit pricey for one bottle. However, having used and researched this product, it is well worth the cost. You do get a good deal when it comes to purchasing packages. They have packages for all occasions, such as The Girls Rule! Gift Pack which would be a blast for slumber parties or the Ghouls Wanna Have Fun Pack for a Halloween party.

Price/Affordability: 3 out of 5 stars

Overall, Eliana and I had a great time using the polish and would definitely recommend it for girls of all ages. Additionally, it would make a great product for professional salons.

For a complete list of colors, packages and ingredients in Piggy Paint, they can be found on the web at www.piggypaint.com. On the website you can also find out where you can purchase this polish in your state.

Piggy Paint Nail Polish – $9.99
Piggy Paint Remover – $10.50
Nail Polish Gift Packs (3 Colors) – $26.50
Nail Polish (2 Colors) Plus 1 Remover Gift Packs – $27.50
$10.50 for Piggy Polish Remover, on the website and on amazon.com
Spend $25 or more and receive free shipping
$9.50 plus $5.95 S&H on amazon.com

Overall Rating: 4.25 out of 5 stars

Technorati Tags: Piggy Paint, Nail Polish, Kids, Little Girl, Fashion, Kid Friendly, Nail Polish Remover, Paint your Piggies, Slumber Party

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: April 25, 2008
DVD Release Date: May 5, 2009
Online Availability: “>Amazon for $22.49

As a young girl, I loved shows with marionettes (puppets). I especially loved The Muppets, Sesame Street, Mister Rogers and even Captain Kangaroo. The characters from all the shows kept me glued to the television for hours. I was so amazed with the colorful characters that my Mom would have to pull the electrical cord out of the socket to get me away from the TV. Consequently when I read a description for A Plumm Summer and saw a puppet, known as Froggy Doo, starring in it, I was totally interested.

As the kids and I sat down to enjoy the movie, my mind began to wander to the cast. I enjoy watching Brenda Song on the Disney Channel in The Suite Life on Deck as London Tipton, the spoiled heiress to the Tipton fortune. Also, I was really excited to see Henry Winkler, since I haven’t seen him in a program in quite some time. As a matter of fact, the only character I pictured Henry Winkler was as Fonzie from Happy Days. I had a tough time trying to see him as any other character but the Fonz. To my surprise his acting was spot on for his part as Happy Herb.

After my short reminiscence of the Happy Days show, my mind was then in a trance of boredom. My excitement, as well as the kids, was very short lived. My oldest son stated that it was a ‘baby movie’ and my younger two kids were a bit squeamish when it came to Froggy Doo. It wasn’t that Froggy Doo was scary to them, but that he wasn’t ‘real’ enough for them. As my six-year-old daughter put it, “Froggy Doo isn’t like Elmo. He looks fake.” I have to agree with her, I didn’t enjoy Froggy Doo as much as I had hoped either.

At that time when the kids lost all interest, I turned the movie off and came back to it that evening to continue watching it alone. I followed the storyline and watched the movie only because I had to review it. If I didn’t have to review it, I would have definitely handed the movie to someone else who might enjoy it.

The A Plumm Summer Plot
A Plumm Summer is a Paramount Pictures family adventure movie based on a true story, set back in 1968 in Peaks View, Montana. It is the story of two young brothers, Elliott and Rocky Plumm, who try to stay one step ahead of the FBI in order to crack the ‘frog-napping’ case and get Rocky’s beloved Froggy Doo back on the air.

Elliot, played by Chris Kelly, is a six-year-old boy who absolutely adores Froggy Doo. Froggy is the side-kick of Happy Herb. Elliot is devastated when Froggy Doo is kidnapped right before he was to appear on the air. His brother, Rocky, played by Owen Pearce, has out grown the kids program but is willing to help his little brother crack the case and win the love of his father Mick. Not to mention, Elliot also stands to win the heart of his new neighbor, Haley (Morgan Flynn).
Together this trio will attempt to solve the case of the missing Froggy Doo. In doing so they have many adventures along the way.

Storyline/Plot: 2 out of 5 stars
Replayability: 1 out of 5 stars
Acting: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Directing: 2 out of 5 stars

Audio/Visual:
A Plumm Summer was filmed in Widescreen Version that is enhanced for 16:9 televisions. Basically this means that this movie is only played in widescreen and you will see the black bars at the top and bottom of your television screen. This was not an issue for me when watching the movie. I also did not have any problems with clarity or dusting of the film. The colors and scenery were clear.

As for the audio, it is in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. The audio is crisp and clear throughout the entire movie. This is the only audio track that is available. Overall, it’s clear, but standard.

Visual: 4 out of 5 stars
Audio: 3 out of 5 stars

Bonus Features:
There are a selection of bonus features included on the A Plumm Summer DVD. The first is a commentary with Frank Antonelli, the writer and producer and Caroline Zelder, the director and writer. This commentary is fairly interesting. It provides information on their vision for the film, making the film and the like, but when it comes to commentaries it is pretty standard. There are a selection of deleted scenes. It’s clear why they were deleted. Everything was pretty boring in this section. The gag reel is next, and the kids and I actually laughed along with the actors at this. It’s worth a watch at least once.

There is a Behind the Scenes Red Carpet feature. The cast and crew for A Plumm Summer weigh in on making the film, how much it meant to be a part of this production and what they thought about the movie. There is also a Behind the Scenes Music Video, which shows production and filming. Finally, there is the theatrical trailer for this movie.

Bonus Features: 3 out of 5 stars

Bottom Line
A Plumm Summer wasn’t as good as I expected. It had potential, with Froggy Doo, but he was too unrealistic making the story fail. My kids couldn’t sit through it. My kids range in age from toddler to pre-teen. If you can’t appease any child in that group or the adult watching it with them, this film is obviously not worth the purchase for any audience.

Technorati Tags: A Plumm Summer, Henry Winkler, Puppet, Family, Paramount Pictures, Froggy Doo