Movie Info:
Writer: Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus
Director: Andrew Adamson
Cast: Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Sergio Castellitto, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis
Rating: PG
Studio: Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Release Info:
DVD Release Date: December 2, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $24.99

Every now and then, a movie comes along and completely takes me by surprise. This year one of those movies was Prince Caspian, the sequel to the huge family hit, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. This is one of those rare movies that will work for every member of the family. Caspian offers a good dose of romance, plenty of action, and it is based on a blockbuster classic book series. The funny thing is I originally only put this in the player because I had to review it and because my son wanted to see it. Now, I’m glad that he wanted to and I had to, because otherwise I wouldn’t have taken the time to watch it. I didn’t see the first one, but now it’s in my Netflix queue and I’m looking to catch up on what I missed out on.

If you didn’t see the first one you will be able to watch this with little problem. I didn’t have to see the first one to understand the second one. I would love to see it though because I am sure that it will add so many little things that I missed out on without seeing it. Still, it works well independently, which was a smart move on the part of the filmmakers. This ensured that the movie, which some people feel should be relegated to older children, works for a broader audience and does not rut itself with only those that have seen the first movie.

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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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HORTON (FROM DR. SEUSS’ HORTON HEARS A WHO) GETS BALLOON IN THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!

Monday, November 24, 2008 – New York, NY - On Thursday, November 27, 2008, Horton will make his world premiere as a brand new balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! For the first time ever, the lovable Dr. Seuss character comes to life as an enormous balloon to help celebrate Thanksgiving in one of the world’s most exciting and colorful parades!

Above, you can find four teaser images of the this beautiful new balloon (the entire balloon will be revealed during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade). Please feel free to use them to promote this special occasion as one that your readers will not want to miss on Thursday.

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Calling all WALL-E Fans! If your kids (or you) can’t get enough of this adorable new character, we have compiled a selection of our WALL-E links that will keep any fan happy until they see the movie again.

Concept Art and Behind the Scenes Shots: It looks like the folks had a great time working on WALL-E. Now you can check out all the cool concept art and shots that occurred during the making of the film.

Hidden Things: This is a downloadable PDF that will challenge the entire family into finding things hidden in the movie. Can you find everything on the list before your kids?

WALL-E Press Release: Information and clips about WALL-E finally coming to DVD.

Film Facts: This is another Downloadable PDF that includes a list of film facts that the whole family should enjoy. If your kids love the movie, they will be sure to enjoy these facts.

WALL-E 3-Disc Special Edition Review: If you haven’t seen the movie (or you have and want to leave your 2-cents) our WALL-E review is the page to visit.

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Starring Jim Carrey, Steve Carell And Carol Burnett Too Two-Disc Special Edition, Single Disc, Digital Copy And Blu-ray Arrives December 9th, Just In Time For Holiday

Pached’ With Extras Including Exclusive Featurettes But Wait, There’s More, the Fun Doesn’t Stop Yet The All-New Ice Age Short “Surviving Sid” And Other Great Bonuses, Entertaining Families and Kids

CENTURY CITY, CALIF. – Escape to the Jungle of Nool with the loveable and 100 percent faithful Horton the elephant as Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (TCFHE) releases the animated, $294 million worldwide box office hit Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! as a Two-Disc Special Edition DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) including Digital Copy December 9. One of Dr. Seuss’ all-time classic children’s books, Horton Hears A Who (1954), comes to life with the help of an all-star voice cast including Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey* (How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Bruce Almighty), Golden Globe® winner Steve Carell** (“The Office,” Get Smart), and six-time Emmy® Award winner Carol Burnett*** (“The Carol Burnett Show”). “Razzle-dazzling and artful” (Claudia Puig, USA Today) and “more faithful in spirit to the source material” (Lou Lumenick, New York Post), Dr. Seuss’ whimsical tale imparts to children and adults alike the meaning of compassion, forgiveness and faith.

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Movie Info:
Director: Andrew Stanton
Writers: Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter, Jim Reardon
Cast: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, MacInTalk, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver
Rating: G
Studio: Disney/Pixar

Release Info:
Theatrical Release Date: June 27, 2008
DVD Release Date: November 18, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $22.99

I have officially seen the most adorable movie of the year. I don’t normally use words like adorable, nor do I tend to like movies that are adorable. Maybe I should rephrase by saying the “most awesome” movie. That might just sum up my feelings about WALL-E. It’s hard not to fall in love with the little guy. He is just that darn adorable (oops! I used that word again!). I wasn’t as interested as I should have been in seeing this movie, merely because I’d just seen Tinker Bell and was disappointed, but WALL-E was all that a Disney movie should live up to being and more!

I first heard about WALL-E during a screening for a Disney movie I reviewed a while back. I can’t remember which one. It might have been Meet the Robinsons. I recall the “intro to WALL-E” said something about, Joe Ranft. one of the men who helped create Toy Story amongst other Pixar titles. Joe helped to come up with the idea for WALL-E. In fact, it was one of the last ideas he helped develop for Pixar before he died in a car crash. The staff and Pixar decided to go with it and they worked tirelessly to do the story justice.

Leading up to the release of WALL-E, Disney/Pixar pumped it up to the point where I wasn’t sure if it could live up to my expectations. Well, I was thoroughly surprised and delighted to learn that this movie was excellent. It wasn’t just excellent. It was downright amazing. I loved every minute of it and I can’t wait to watch this movie again. WALL-E is a movie everyone should see regardless of age, gender, or whether they like Disney movies or not. Pixar really went all out for this and they deserve as much praise as I can give. I don’t always enjoy Disney/Pixar movies, but this one is definitely a keeper.

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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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The following images, concept art, and behind the scenes shots have been released to celebrate the upcoming November 18th release of WALL-E on DVD and Blu-ray!

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Movie Info:
Writer: Laura Phillips
Director: Eric Till
Cast: Dave Goelz, Steve Whitmire, Kathryn Mullen, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Camille Bonora, Brian Henson, Rob Mills, Nikki Tilroe, Marsha Moreau, Zachary Bennett
Rating: Not Rated
Studio: Hit Entertainment/Lyons

Release Info:
Original Release Date: December 6, 1986
DVD Release Date: November 4, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $8.99

I hate to say that I’m disappointed with Hit Entertainment’s release of Jim Henson’s The Christmas Toy on DVD. While the actual movie is excellent and well worth watching, it is inaccurate to put Jim Henson’s name on it. This isn’t his completed masterpiece. Scenes, particularly those with Kermit the Frog (the ultimate Jim Henson character) in them, have been cut out. While this is probably due to copyright laws, it still stinks for fans who remember the original movie with Kermit introducing and ending the movie.

That being said, that actual movie, The Christmas Toy is excellent. This movie is bound to become a Christmas classic. Released for a new generation of children to enjoy, this was one of those excellent Jim Henson Christmas specials that has the feel of other Muppet inspired specials. Adults familiar with The Muppet Show, Muppet movies and Fraggle Rock will recognize most of the voices for the characters in The Christmas Toy. That’s because any Henson production used the same, trusted actors, who could make that special worthwhile and enjoyable.

I loved Fraggle Rock as a kid. It was one of the shows I never missed. I’ve also been a huge fan of the Muppets, for as long as I can remember. It’s no big surprise that I enjoyed this, though, of course I would have loved to have seen Kermit. It doesn’t truly seem like a Muppet special without at least one of the recognizable Muppets, so I can see why many fans of the original, unedited version of this movie have complaints with it.

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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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Movie Info:
Writer: Jonathan Aibel, Glenn Berger
Director: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson
Cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan , Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim
Rating: PG
Studio: Dreamworks

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: June 6, 2008
DVD Release Date: November 8, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $20.99

I’m going to start this review off with a warning. If you have young kids, you may want to sit them down *before* watching Kung Fu Panda and have a discussion about what is a movie. Our four year old nephew, Lil B, saw Kung Fu Panda. He’d been talking about seeing it non-stop. After checking it out at the movie theater, he proclaimed, one day, that he wanted to show his aunt, Ashtyn, his Kung Fu moves. He then proceeded to kick her, full on, in the knee. When asked where he learned such moves, he said he learned them because he was the “Kung Fu” panda.

That being said, it’s not that I think that you should ban your child from watching this movie. You just need to remember that young kids like to emulate what they see. We now have a “no Kung Fu in the house or on other people” rule enforced. So far, we’ve had no trouble with said rule being upheld. With all that in mind, I have to say that Kung Fu Panda really is a good movie. If you can avoid having your child practice their ‘Kung Fu moves’ on you, then you should really be able to enjoy this as a family.

While Kung Fu Panda is a traditional “believe in yourself” kind of heartwarming movie, you should find plenty of humorous moments and quirky lines to amuse and entertain throughout the movie. It really is kind of funny to think of a tubby panda as the “master” of Kung Fu, but with Po (portrayed fabulously by Jack Black) you can pretty much believe anything. While probably not the most realistic animation out there (it is a cartoon - so disbelief suspension is required!), this film has a lot of heart and a nice, moral lesson to go with it.

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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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Movie Info:
Writers: Henry Gilroy, George Lucas
Director: Dave Filoni
Cast: Matt Lanter, Ashley Eckstein, James Arnold Taylor, Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Kane, Nika Futterman, Ian Abercrombie, Corey Burton, Catherine Taber, Matthew Wood, Kevin Michael Richardson, David Acord, Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee
Rating: PG
Studio: Warner Home Video

Release Info:
Theatrical Release: August 15, 2008
DVD Release Date: November 11, 2008
Online Availability: Amazon for $23.99

I love Star Wars. I was born in 1980. I remember watching Star Wars since I was really little. I even had two pairs of Star Wars themed, thermal pajamas. One of them was for Return of the Jedi. This pair had R2D2 and C3P0 on them. I also had a pair with Ewoks on them. I loved my Star Wars pajamas. I also loved the entire Star Wars franchise. The toys, the movies, the whole shebang. As you might have guessed, I find all of the new Star Wars movies, animated specials, and what not, to be interesting. Well…at least until I actually check them out.

I’ve found that the newer Star Wars offerings are either hit or miss. I liked parts of Episodes 1-3, but they just can’t compare to the original trilogy. So, I wasn’t sure if I would like Star Wars: The Clone Wars. I went into this review with an open mind and hoping to find a cartoon that both new and old audiences could enjoy. This was only partly true. While I’m certain younger, newer audiences will be able to get into the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series airing on television, as well as this movie, older audiences, especially old fans of Star Wars, will most likely find this series boring.

It’s not that Star Wars: The Clone Wars is necessarily bad. Yes, I was kind of peeved over the fact that Anakin suddenly has a Padawan (though I’m sure they’ll have to discuss what happened to said Padawan between Episodes 2 and 3. Yes, I was kind of grumpy about the new voice actors, especially the lack of Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman. However, Star Wars: The Clone Wars is bad for me, merely because it is obviously geared towards a younger, more juvenile audience. Throw in the wine because this one is full of cheese.

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Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.

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America’s Favorite Bears Learn About Love

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS: KINDNESS, CARING AND SHARING Based on the Best-selling Children’s Books Debuts on DVD on January 20, 2009

Culver City, CA (November 10, 2008) –Join Bear Country’s most loveable family in this new-to-DVD collection of animated stories as they get ready for Valentine’s Day with family and friends. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will release THE BERENSTAIN BEARS: KINDNESS, CARING AND SHARING on DVD on January 20, 2009 with a family-friendly SRP of $12.99.

THE BERENSTAIN BEARS: KINDNESS, CARING AND SHARING will include the original Valentine’s Day network special called “Comic Valentine” plus four additional episodes about birthdays, new neighbors and kite-flying! THE BERENSTAIN BEARS: KINDNESS, CARING AND SHARING stars Mama, Papa, Brother and Sister Bear. As in all THE BERENSTAIN BEARS adventures, this close-knit family presents positive role models for parents and children.

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