“Finding Entertainment Appropriate for Kids,” or FEAK, runs every Friday and discusses places – mainly the movie theaters – where parents can look to find things for their kids to watch over the weekend.

Chances are that your kids are clamoring to see “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” this weekend. It’s the big family release, the commercials have been everywhere and many of them might be fans of the book.

Well, we reviewed the movie itself right here. Basically, your kids will like it, but they aren’t going to connect to it very easily. Still, the film is most certainly appropriate for kids. It’s rated PG for “some rude humor and language” so be aware of that. There are a lot of gross scenes, scenes of menace (The kids get chased. A lot.), scenes of embarrassment and a whole bunch of language that sounds like it’s straight off the SATs rather than a middle schooler’s journal.

So be sure to know all of that before going into the film.

Also opening these weekend, on a much smaller scale, is “Hubble 3D.” This IMAX movie is playing on a few IMAX screens across the country and, with its G rating, is certainly worth searching out. It’s part educational and part jaw dropping visuals of the universe around us. Plus it’s narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Also still in theaters are “Alice in Wonderland” and “Remember Me,” which were the subjects of the last two FEAK columns. Check those out by clicking the links.

Next week: “How To Train Your Dragon” in 3D.

That is just one of the problems with the film adaptation of “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid.” Based on a popular series of books by Jeff Kinney, the film stars Zachary Gordon as Greg, a kid just about to start middle school who is writing in his diary, even though he doesn’t like to call it that. So the audience hears all of his inner most thoughts as he tries to adjust to a very new time in his life: cliques, girls, after school sports, etc.

Great idea, right? Without a doubt, middle school is an awkward time in a young person’s life and is ripe with comedic situations. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” has plenty of those. And while many of them are a little too cliched, others – such as “The Cheese Touch” – are new and really, really funny.

Still – it’s hard to get into this semi-awkward film, funny as it may be, when the main character is so unlikable. And that’s not a knock on Zachary Gordon’s performance – the kid has charisma – but the character himself is near impossible to get behind. Through him, the audience is meant to learn the message “being yourself is cool.” But instead of making it easy and him learning the message in a simple way, the film makes us dig around for it through his interactions with the side characters. That kind of complicated characterization would be fine if “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid” was a low budget, independent film, but this is a big budget kids movie. It’s way too difficult for kids to appreciate in the way they should.

Plus, the film constantly feels a little too smart for its own good. Many of the characters in the film are way too worldly. Somehow, even though they are only 13 years old or so, they have the knowledge that middle school is nothing but a pointless stage between childhood and your teen years and should be treated as such. It’s almost as if they’re the adult versions of themselves, transplanted back in school like in films “17 Again” or “Never Been Kissed.”

There’s a lot to like in “Diary Of A Wimpy Kid.” The casting and characters are awesome, the drawings and humor are winning and the film – based on the first book – leaves you wanting more. But, still, it feels more like a film about middle school for adults than a film about middle school for middle schoolers.

The Texas State Board of Education voted on March 12 to alter the history books. Why? They claim “adding balance” to curriculum, because “academia is skewed too far to the left,” according to former chairman Don McLeroy. I claim stereotypical right-wing pompousness, bigotry, and… well, outright idiocy.

How does this affect your kids if you’re not in Texas? Texas is such a large textbook publishing leader that many states adopt the same course materials, which means that Texas essentially sets requirements for 80% of the textbook market. So states from Oregon to Vermont could very well end up downplaying Ted Kennedy while extolling the virtues of conservative activist Phyllis Schlafly.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m all for changing history books. I’ve felt that way since I was in high school myself. I’ve always wanted to see more balance. For instance, Andrew Jackson is hailed as a great American president – he made it possible for the people to elect the electoral college instead of the representatives and did away with the national debt. He’s also responsible for the Trail of Tears because of a personal vendetta against the Cherokees. Sure, we learned about the Trail of Tears, but Andrew Jackson’s instigation of it and purpose behind it are downplayed, if not right out deleted.

My issue is that we’re going from one extreme to the other here. We’re not just talking about adding conservative influences and people throughout history – we’re talking about replacing “left” components with “right” components.  I’m conservative; I’m Texan; I’m in favor of changing history books. I’m not in favor of the Good Ol’ Boys club having an educational cross-burning. I mean, haven’t we progressed passed that kind of crap already? I find it embarrassing and shameful that highly educated people would admit to such archaic thinking and tactics, let alone have the audacity to actually try to promote them.

Hey, McLeroy and posse – take off your 10-gallon dunce caps and come to the 21st century.

Makes Me Sick:  Tour of Italy

Warren Buffet the II can pretty much ensure this is Grandpa’s last meal if he orders this monstrosity.  The plate full of chicken Parmesan, fettuccine alfredo and lasagna has 1,450 calories and 3,830 mg of sodium, not counting the unlimited salad and breadsticks enjoyed before.  I’m lobbying to have it renamed Tour of the Cardiac Care Unit.

Healthy Pick: Linguine Alla Marinara

If Gramps is in the mood for pasta, this isn’t a bad choice at only 310 calories for the lunch portion.  In addition, Olive Garden offers low fat Italian dressing for their salad, and Baby Bill Gates could special order breadsticks without butter. Then again, if Gramps is in the mood for pasta, maybe he shouldn’t be at Olive Garden.

“Finding Entertainment Appropriate for Kids,” or FEAK, runs every Friday and discusses places – mainly the movie theaters – where parents can look to find things for their kids to watch over the weekend.

Sure it’s not technically a “Twilight” movie, but “Remember Me,” one of the films that opens this weekend, sure feels like one. First of all, it starts Robert Pattinson, who plays Edward Cullen in the “Twilight” films. Second, it’s about a romance that may not be destined to be and third, it will have the trailer for “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” attached to it.

All of those factors are sure to make the little girl in your family beg, beg, BEG to take you to see this film. But…is it appropriate for them?

“Remember Me” is rated PG-13 for “violence, sexual content, language and smoking.” So, right there, the film is giving parents a little bit more than they bargained for, especially compared to the wholesome values in the “Twilight” films. Those films have some violence, but the sexual content and language is basically non-existent.

Still, PG-13 is okay for many parents. In this case, though, there are things that rating doesn’t say. The most important thing for parents to know about “Remember Me” – the thing that isn’t being mentioned in the marketing or commercials of the film -  is that it has a bit of a swerve at the end that their young children might be confused, or even, deeply upset by.

Basically, the film stars Pattinson as Tyler, a young man with some serious daddy issues. He falls for,and has a summer fling with Ally, played by Emile de Ravin. The two are just a young couple living in New York, trying to come to terms with things like their budding relationship and their parents. There’s obviously much more too it, but that’s not important to you.

However, and this is a MAJOR SPOILER so if you don’t want to ruin the ending of the movie, STOP READING….

…

…

…

…. but, it turns out that at the very end of the film, we find out that Tyler’s father died on 9/11 and the film uses the images of those buildings to evoke a strong, almost forced, emotional response from the audience.

If you feel your kids can handle such images just so they can see Robert Pattinson fall in love all over again, then go for it. “Remember Me” is getting the type of reviews that one would expect from a simple romance starring young actors like de Ravin and Pattinson. Chances are, the film is fine and you’ll get your moneys worth. But, in the end, “Remember Me” is not all it is cracked up to be an, as a parent, one should decide for themselves if a film with such strong images is truly appropriate for their kids. It very well may be.

And, if you decide it’s not, there’s always “Alice in Wonderland” that you and your family can check out.

“Crystal’s Soapbox,” published each Thursday, is a column by conservative Texas mom Crystal Arcand who loves to rant about issues that relate to her kids….and yours.

You know, not too long ago there was a big hoopla about a dad that let his seven-year-old get tattooed. There was talk of child endangerment and parents had proverbial cows about poking that poor baby with needles. “What kind of parent would do such a thing?!” everyone asked hysterically.

Then somehow the parenting world had been anesthetized to it by the time the Tattoo Barbie had come out. Sure, some were against it, but they still sold, and a lot of parents doled out the logic of “letting them try it” before kids made a permanent decision. It was touted by some as an opportunity for discussion.

And yet, there is no discussion about ear piercing. The discussion always seems to be centered on whether silver or gold earrings are preferred during the six-week healing period after the initial piercing. I’ve never heard getting your ears pierced compared to getting a tattoo. But it is like getting a tattoo. It’s a permanent alteration to the body. The effects of it last forever. Just like a tattoo.

Well, kind of. You can have a tattoo removed. You can’t remove earring holes. Sure, they can grow closed, just like mine did. But the scars are still there. It drives me crazy. I wish my mother had talked to me about the permanence of it before I got my ears pierced at nine – I wouldn’t have had it done.

The other day while I was in the grocery store I saw a baby with earrings. She couldn’t have been more than six months old. Did she tell her mother that she wanted holes in ears for the rest of her life? Or did she try to tell her, “Hey, Mom, y’know it hurts to try to sleep with these tiny metal spikes poking me in the neck no matter which side I sleep on, because I’ve got them on both sides, so no thanks, anyway.”

Oh wait, she didn’t. Because she’s a baby. She had no choice or say in the matter.

Why is it okay to poke a baby with needles as long as it’s in the ears instead of the hip or somewhere else? Is it the lack of ink? The precious metal? The gems? Oh, it’s cute, right? It’s totally okay to inflict pain on infants as long as they’re cute when we’re done. It only lasts a little while, right? Newsflash: tattoos don’t hurt after the healing is over, either.

Let’s get a grip and stop hurting babies that don’t understand what’s going on for the sake of “cute.” Buy a freakin’ hair accessory already.

1. Bambi

   

   Who could forget this heart-wrenching tale of family love and new beginnings?  For many of us it was our first introduction to the cold hard facts of life.  But what better way to learn about it than from a doe-eyed deer and a bubbly, cuddly bunny?

2. Beauty And The Beast

   

   I think that my little sister (and possibly my big brother) would disown me if I neglected to mention this one.  We spent countless hours watching it over and over.  This rags-to-riches fairytale taught us that beauty is only skin deep and is hardly the best way to choose companionship.  It also has some wildly entertaining little ditties performed by dishes and other household furnishings.

3. Cinderella

   

   I think that this movie still has some of the most catchy songs from Disney to date.  I still can’t think about it without humming bippity-boppity-boo. This story about the lovably unloved step-daughter gives hope to every girl whose ever been picked on by the cliquey girls at school.

4. Pinnochio

   

   This story teaches us that even little white lies can add up to a big mess.  And who can resist that cute little Jiminy Cricket?

5. Aladdin

   

   It’s the classic tale about being careful what you wish for, complete with flying carpets and and a singing genie.

The Scouts have been bringing boys together and show them things to survive not only in the wilderness but in life.  They have many traditions on policies that go back to the beginning of the organization, but it is many of these traditions that have led to a steady decline in membership over the past decade. I feel they need to accept some changes that will attract more members but keep the foundations that have made the Boy Scouts a proud and noble group to help boys down the path towards manhood.

1. Religion – Part of the Scout Oath is “…to do my duty to God…”  The Scouts believe that a young man needs some sort of Supreme Being in his life to be right. This closed minded view leaves many families who do not practice a religion out of the Scouts. Don’t change the Oath or anything but don’t refuse advancement to boys who do not practice a specific faith.
2. Uniform – The uniform is an integral part of being a Boy Scout.  It is meant to make you part of a group like the any of the armed services.  But the Scout uniform is outdated.  They still don’t make shorts that go past mid-thigh and the neckerchiefs are a pain in the butt.  The Army and other services have had their uniforms evolve, why don’t the Scouts?  Make them more comfortable and wearable and boys may not be as embarrassed about wearing them.
3. Gender- Yes, I know it is the “Boy Scouts” but it’s been called that since before women had the right to vote let alone since they started being professional athletes and community leaders.  Girls want to camp and do things the Boy Scouts do but many times their local Girl Scout troop does not ofter these activities.  They are left to believe that girls just aren’t supposed to do them.  Opening the Boy Scouts up to girls would greatly increase the effectiveness of Scouting because it teaches that their are not specific boy activities and specific girl activities.  Anyone can do whatever they want and enjoy them in a group.

These suggestions would bring about major changes to the Boy Scouts of America but the changes would be for the better.  They could help bring better membership numbers along with teaching a bigger group of America’s youth how to be better citizens and a positive aspect to their communities.

Let me know what you think and if you have any changes of your own.  Or share a story about your days in the Scouts (Boys or Girls).

“Finding Entertainment Appropriate for Kids,” or FEAK, runs every Friday and discusses places – mainly the movie theaters – where parents can look to find things for their kids to watch over the weekend.

It’s finally here! After several weeks of films deemed not at all good for kids, Hollywood has finally heard your call and released a family film.

That film is “Alice in Wonderland” and it is now playing in Disney Digital 3D, IMAX 3D and regular screens from sea to shining sea.

Earlier today we posted a mildly negative review of the PG rated film. It’s rated that “for fantasy action/violence involving scary images and situations, and for a smoking caterpillar.” Yes, you read that right, “a smoking caterpillar.” But there was a smoking caterpillar in the first film and that was rated G, so let’s pretend that’s fine.

By its very nature, “Alice in Wonderland” is a little darker than most normal children’s fare and this version is no different. Alice is separated from her family and finds herself in a new world, all alone. However, in his new version, the world of “Wonderland” isn’t as scary as before. Alice has friends – that’s because she has already been before and this time they need her help.

There are a few very scary scenes though. A mouse stabs the eye of a large animal, Alice walks on a river of skulls and she *Spoiler Alert* cuts the head off of a dragon. Each of these parts of the film is certainly going to be a little too much for most kids but, if you took them to see “Alice” in the first place, it should be okay.

Overall – “Alice in Wonderland” is definitely appropriate for kids. It has its moments but it’s no darker than, say, “Coraline” or something like that.

“Why,” do you ask? Well first, because, that’s the “Alice in Wonderland” you are hoping for: light, sweet and kind of eerie. Also, because Tim Burton’s “Alice In Wonderland,” starring Johnny Depp, is nothing more than a glorified sequel to the 1951 classic. Yes, you heard that right. Despite its title, the 2010 “Alice In Wonderland” should really be called “Alice In Wonderland 2.”

And even though that idea sounds downright inspired, what with the huge wealth of Lewis Carroll’s literature Burton and his team could mine, the film is nothing more than a by-the-numbers adventure story populated with all the characters you know and love from the original.

The film starts with young Alice waking up from a nightmare where she remembers falling down a hole, seeing a rabbit in a waist coat and then meeting a blue caterpillar. We flash 13 years later to meet our teenage Alice (Mia Wasikowska) on the way to a very important date. No, not the one you are expecting; this is a very elaborate party with the London elite. Without ruining the surprise, Alice finds herself flustered and winds up following the aforementioned rabbit down a hole and then, well, you know where the story goes from there: Drink Me, Eat Me, etc.

However – that’s where the film deviates from the original. Alice is in Underland (Yes, Underland) for a reason. She is back to help all of the inhabitants defeat the evil Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter). So she teams up with the Mad Hatter (Depp), the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), the Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, March Hare, Tweedle Dee/Tweedle Dum and the rest to complete the task.

Where most people expect magic and whimsy from “Alice in Wonderland” the only place Burton’s film gives us that is with the visuals. The effects and sets are incredibly impressive and, if you see the film in 3D, it’s way more in your face and aggressive than films like “Avatar” and “Up.” Other than that, though, it never feels like much is at stake or that there’s any real excitement to be had.

With or without 3D though, there’s a good chance that kids might be confused by many of the long names of characters, some of the dull moments and trying to figure out exactly how this movie relates to the original. The script does an adequate job of weaving in how Alice doesn’t remember the first film but it still feels forced.

From a filmmaker and stars of such a pedigree, one would expect more from “Alice in Wonderland.” Visually, it’s stunning, but story and character wise, it feels more like a bad version of “Shrek.”

Named after pediatrician and author of Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems, Richard Ferber, the Ferber Method has been shrouded by controversy from its beginning in 1985.  This sleep training technique claims that you can teach your baby to sleep on their own after a week or so of you proving to them that their cries are ineffective to changing their situation.  Ferber says you can teach your baby to soothe himself to sleep when he’s physically and emotionally ready, usually sometime between 4 and 6 months of age. He recommends following a  bedtime routine and then putting your baby in bed awake and leaving him to cry for gradually longer periods of time.  Ferber says putting a child to bed awake is crucial to successfully teaching him to go to sleep on his own.  Parents are instructed to pat and comfort their baby after each predetermined period of time, but not to pick up or feed their baby.  This routine is called “progressive waiting.”  The suggested waiting time, which Ferber charts in his book, is based on how comfortable you are with the technique, how many days you’ve been using it, and how many times you’ve already checked on your child that night.  A recent episode of Modern Family showed a couple trying to ferberize their baby (Check out the clip above).  And although it was a comedic depiction, it is a pretty accurate portrayal of what you will experience.

The most common criticism of the Ferber Method is that it breaks down communication between a baby and their parents.  The newborn who cries is saying: “I need something; something is not right here. Please make it right.”  Crying is a language that babies use to communicate.  They do not enjoy crying nor is it beneficial for them other than to get the attention of someone who can help them.   A baby has two choices if no one listens.  Either he can cry louder, harder, and produce a more disturbing signal or he can clam up and become a “good baby” (ie: quiet).  When no one listens, your baby will become very discouraged and he’ll learn the one thing you don’t want him to: that he can’t communicate.  Then the baby loses trust in the signal value of his cry and  the responsiveness of his caregivers. This can create a subconscious trust issue between the child and their parents for the duration of their relationship.

Having parented 3 infants, I have tried both ferberizing and co-sleeping.  I started off with the Ferber Method with my first baby.  It went entirely against my mothering intuition and made me feel sick to my stomach.  I stuck with it for a few months, but I got tired of doing it over and over.  Because although it does work, you basically have to start over every time your child’s sleep routine is disrupted by illness, traveling, sitters, etc.  And every time you start over you have to go through 6-7 nights of crying; not just when they are initially going to sleep, but also every time they wake up during the night. I eventually just brought my son to sleep in my bed and he slept, well, like a baby.  By the time he was 2 he willingly went into his own bed and slept on his own without all of the drama and trauma.  With my last 2 babies I used a co-sleeper next to the bed from the start.  That way they could sleep on their own, but comfort was only an arm’s reach away.  This made for a much more restful night of sleep and more peace of mind about my parenting.  So I guess it comes down to how soon you want your bed back.

(Photo Via: Aysha Manori)

DC Comics has once again reached into their comic book vault and produced an animated feature that anyone can like.  “Justice League: Crisis On Two Earths” features everyone’s favorite characters in an action packed adventure that kids and adults with both enjoy. Their previous features such as “Superman/Batman: Public Enemies” or “Green Lantern: First Flight” are better in my opinion but kids aren’t as critical.

This story was originally intended to be used as a bridge between the two previous Justice League animated series, “Justice League” and “Justice League: Unlimited,” but was never produced.  Well it has been now and I must say that it is pretty cool.  Fun superhero fights and alternate versions of all our favorite DC characters all about. It does have its faults but for the average kid (and viewer for that matter) it will be fun and entertaining.

Imagine an alternate Earth where Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Flash and all the other Justice League members were bad guys and in a group called the Crime Syndicate.  To top it off, Lex Luthor is the leader of that Earth’s Justice League.  That Lex Luthor travels to our Earth to recruit the good Justice Leaguers to rid his Earth of the Crime Syndicate and restore order.  Of course they go and the ensuing battle royals are great to watch.  Basically it’s all the biggest superheros fighting alternate versions of themselves.  That is the gist of it, but the ultimate plot gets unfolded throughout the adventure.  Trust me, your kids will eat this up and enjoy every minute of it.  All the “alternate dimension” and “ultimate doom” stuff won’t go over their heads.

For the most part this is a fun and enjoyable feature that, despite its PG-13 rating, is great for kids of all ages.  The only language that I noticed was “ass” once or twice but, besides that, the only reason for the rating is its “Action Violence.”  But that sort of violence is what kids read comics for anyway.  They want to see Superman punch the bad-guy through a wall.  It does get kind of technical in parts, when it talks about all the parallel universes and throws in a lot of meaningless big words to make it a little convoluted.  The only real gripe I have with it is the voice cast. I will always hear Batman with Kevin Conroy’s voice and Superman’s with Tim Daly’s so anything other than that sounds off to me.  But they make up for it with James Woods as Owlman so I can deal with it.

An overall good movie that comic fans of any age and rank can enjoy.  Don’t worry about the rating too much.

The show is obviously scripted, and it’s insulting to claim otherwise.  Even Liz herself didn’t flat out deny that the show is fake, just that she knows the other kids on the cast and that the back story happened.  Beyond that, she would have to be one brave chick to claim that the footage and scenarios are just candid shots and conversations picked up by a camera guy. The over-the-top, one dimensional characters of the show are laughable, and so far from reality.

The popular clique is at constant odds with Liz, who’s sole mission is to bring them down.  They are the school’s stereotypical blonde, beautiful royalty.  All the boys love them.  They don’t talk to anyone else unless they are spewing insults.

I graduated from high school a handful of years ago, and there was no group like this.  I was considered one of the ‘popular’ kids in high school, but this was because I had a lot of friends.  I was captain of my sports teams but no one called me a jock, I did drama but was not considered a geek and was on the school newspaper and took Advanced Placement classes but was not considered a nerdy brain.  I just had an opportunity to meet a lot of different people and meshed with most of them.

In my school, and from everyone else I have asked, there was no popular group of beautiful people that everyone hated.  It doesn’t make sense.  You can’t be hated by everyone and loved at the same time.  There was, of course, scandals and rumors and conflict but no mortal enemies, or life ruining plots.

This stereotypical portrayal of high school-is-hell isn’t unique to this one show, however.  Most TV shows and movies for kids give an unrealistic, black and white picture of high school that just isn’t real.

In the movie “Mean Girls,” Lindsay Lohan plays the new girl in town who is befriended by some geeks only to be snatched up by the popular clique who is feared and idolized.  She  secretly plots with the geeks to hang out with the popular girls and sabotage their teen royalty through a series of misguided missions.  No matter how stupid the popular kids look, the school loves  them nonetheless.  Pretty diabolical for a bunch of teenagers.  In the end, there are no more cliques.  How nice.

And why does no one ever have any homework?

I am not so naive to think that cliquishness does not happen.  I know it does.  People are friends with people that are similar to them, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t friends with anyone else, or inherently evil or good.  I am also aware that many of these media created high school snap shots are more to show what high school can feel like to certain demographics, as opposed to what it actually is like.  More often than not, the result is insulting to the viewer, and for those who have not yet entered high school, misleading.

I spent the summer before freshman year scared I would be stuffed into my locker.  Turns out, I couldn’t even fit my backpack in there.  The main thing kids need to know about high school is that it doesn’t matter.  It may seem like four endless years of trying to go to the coolest parties and hang out with the coolest kids, but the second you graduate it doesn’t matter.  You won’t remember those people.  Those who were popular in high school may not be successful.  Those who were picked on, or strung out, or skipped class might turn out to be your boss.  Nothing that happened in high school matters.  Get good grades so you can get into a good college, surround yourself with good people with like interests, and relax.

Simple, she enrolls her son(s) in Boy Scouts.

The introduction into the “club” for little ones is Cub Scouts.  But what is it all about?  What do they do?  What do they teach?  These are all common questions among parents who are not familiar with the organization.  Here is some info to point you in the right direction.

The Cub Scouts caters to boys entering the first through the fifth grade.  The Scouts are devoted to teaching young boys to help others, to embrace new skills and adventures and to hold themselves to a high moral standard.  Boys in Cub Scouting belong to a small group where they take part in interesting and meaningful activities with their friends.  The adult leaders who conduct and supervise Cub Scouting activities are carefully selected.  These leaders must meet strict qualifications set by the national organization, and must be approved by the organization that sponsors the pack to ensure that they are good role models.

Activities with the Cub Scouts include:

• Sports such as baseball, soccer, and swimming which develops physical fitness, teamwork, fair play, cooperation, and good sportsmanship.
• Hands-on learning experiences about art, science, music, and computers which inspires the imagination of youth and sharpens their interest in learning.
• Projects in woodworking, leatherworking, and sculpture that teaches the value of planning and patience and gives them confidence in their abilities.
• Outdoor adventures such as camping, hiking, and fishing that conveys an appreciation for nature and teaches the importance of preserving our environment.

There is not a single thing in “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” that audiences haven’t seen before. It’s a whole lot of “Harry Potter” meets “Clash of the Titans,” filtered through a world of video games with some “Twilight,” “Chronicles of Narnia” and “Indiana Jones” sprinkled in.

Still, there’s something kind of charming about once again witnessing the story of a young outsider discovering that his life is destined for things greater than himself.

Directed by Chris Columbus, he of the first two “Harry Potter” movies, “Percy Jackson” stars Logan Lerman, a Zac Efron/Daniel Radcliffe mash up as the title character. And just like those “Harry Potter” movies we are introduced to a world where something that humans believe is myth, is actually reality. In those films, it was wizards and in “Percy Jackson” it’s Greek Gods. Zeus, Poseidon, Hades: they’re all still around today and most of them have had off spring in the real world. After a mysterious being steals the lightning of Zeus, Percy’s true identity – as the only son of Poseidon – is revealed.

He then goes to Camp to learn to use his skills (think Hogwarts, except it’s called Camp Half Blood) where he teams up with his male best friend Grover, played by Brandon T. Jackson and the attractive daughter of Athena named Annabeth, played by Alexandra Daddario. The trip will attempt to right all that’s wrong with this lightning thief nonsense. The film then unfolds in a very video game influenced quest where several stages must be mastered before finally getting to the big boss.

Almost all of these challenges involve, in one way or another, truly talented and famous actors and or some huge special effects. Uma Thurman plays Medusa, complete with full head of snakes, Steve Coogan plays Hades, complete with menacing flames, and more. The actors are certainly having fun but sometimes – like in the case of a giant Dragon/Chimera creature that Percy fights in the air – the special effects aren’t as jaw dropping as they want to be.

Columbus’s direction is lacking in many other areas as well, including the performances of some of his leads which range from good to bad nearly take to take. In addition, the script is littered with truly unfunny jokes and dialogue that not even a teenage son of a God would say.

Through all this, the movie still holds an undeniable fun feeling about it. The action scenes are entertaining, the story itself is exceptionally interesting and the blending of real life locations with mythological ones is kind of ingenious.

Parents will find a lot to roll their eyes at if they see “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” but your kids are sure to be on the edge of their seat. Be aware there is some questionable material that happens in a Las Vegas casino but, besides that, “Percy Jackson” is a worthy fill in for your “Harry Potter” obsessed little ones.

For the most part, this is rock ‘n’ roll easy listening. The songs are fairly catchy, but you might tire of the “brain” theme after a while. Of the 14 songs on the album, 10 have the word “brain” in the title. Fortunately, the tunes are unique to themselves and are well-crafted. On a second listen-through, the lyric “Turn on your brain like a laser beam of light” really snagged my attention. For an album about intelligence and brainy matters, a redundancy like “laser beam of light” just irked me (for those not in the know, “laser” is an acronym that means “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation” — a laser can’t be anything other than light).

In general, I appreciated the wit of the rhymes (“They send the blueprint to the cerebellum/That’s the part of your brain that knows just what to tell ‘em”), even though “The Left Brain/Right Brain Song” features an extremely poor fake British accent that had me gnashing my teeth. Will kids like this? It might be better experienced live, with a chorus of kids singing along. As a standalone album, it’s fine, and maybe your little listeners will learn a few things about the brain while they’re bopping along.

Bari Koral is a singer-songwriter and yoga instructor from New York with an indie music solo career who decided to start writing kid-friendly music after performing for a crowd of children one day, finding that she enjoyed the enthusiasm and great vibes from the audience. Her voice is reminiscent of performers like Jewel and Jill Sobule, but she’s definitely got her own style — bubbly and personable, with a sense of humor that shines through the lyrics.

Her album “Rock and Roll Garden” features songs about how different colors make her feel (“Colors”), filling a backpack with yummy things (“Backpack”), and popcorn (“Pop”). Don’t let the seemingly tween nature of these descriptions dissuade you from giving Koral a try; her music is catchy and lively, and you’ll find yourself humming them to yourself after only a couple of listens. Many of these tunes feature a vocal hook that kids will love to repeat (and really, isn’t that the essence of all good music?), and a few even offer somatic instructions for kids to follow, getting them to jump, sit and stand, spin, and dance along with the lyrics.

“Rock and Roll Garden” singlehandedly goes a long way toward changing parents’ presumption of what kid’s music is and can be. It’s well-worth the purchase.

1. “Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown

   

   Of course this had to be at the top of my list.  You can’t beat the classics.  In this simple story a sleepy bunny says good night to all of the things in his big green room.  It is great for helping kids unwind and relax after playing all day.

2. “The Moon In My Room” by Annette Norris

   

   This book comes with a little built-in moon nightlight.  It is a story about a little boy who is getting ready for bed and in the story it shows kids how to use their moon nightlight when they get up in the middle of the night for water or the potty.  My boys related to bedtime routine and the light up moon is comforting to them when I turn out the light.

3. “Time To Say Goodnight” by Sally Lloyd-Jones

   

   This book pulls you in with a beautiful picture of a bunny family on the cover and it take your kids on a journey through the meadow and the forest as sleepy animals turn in for the night as the nocturnal creatures awaken.  It is a wonderful way to help them nod off as well as learn about new animals.

4. “Don’t Let The Pigeon Stay Up Late” by Mo Willems

   

   This is a great book for your little night owl.  Willems starts off by giving children the duty of making sure that the pigeon doesn’t stay up late.  And as the pigeon comes up with all kinds of excuses to stay awake, your kids yell “No!  Go to bed”.  It is such a belly-busting good time and kids have a blast with the role-playing.

5. “There’s A Nightmare In My Closet” by Mercer Mayer

   

   Has your child ever complained of a monster in their room?  If so, this is the book for you.  When a little boy suspects that there is a nightmare hiding out in his closet, he decides to face his fears and confront it.  Upon doing so, he learns that the nightmare isn’t nearly as scary as he had thought.  This a great book to build up courage and teach kids that most of our fears are not as frightening as we make them out to be.

Click here to hear interviews with the cast and crew of “Tooth Fairy.”

Kids love Dwayne Johnson, formerly known as “The Rock.” He’s a large, good looking, likable former wrestler turned actor who has had a lot of success in the family genre. He played a football player turned single dad in “The Game Plan” and cab driver turned hero in “Race to Witch Mountain.” Now, Johnson plays a hockey player turned tooth fairy in “Tooth Fairy.”

Out of all of those scenarios, this one is by far the most outrageous because, of course, the Tooth Fairy, doesn’t exist. That’s fine in a family film, though, because hopefully the film leaves its audience with some of that magical feeling of possibility. “Tooth Fairy,” however, lacks that magic. It’s just not there. Maybe that’s because nothing in the film ever feels dramatic.

Johnson plays Derek, a minor league hockey player best known for knocking out people’s teeth. When his girlfriend’s (Ashley Judd) daughter loses her tooth, he is about to spill the beans when she snaps at him. Apparently, the REAL Tooth Fairy’s hear him and then sentence him to serve a two week sentence as a real tooth fairy as a punishment. There he meets his case worker played by Stephen Merchant, the head of the tooth fairy’s, played by Julie Andrews and the gadget person of Tooth Fairy’s (think Q in James Bond) played by Billy Crystal.

If all of this sounds a little random and a little too unbelievable, that’s because it is, even for a simple kids movie. And the main problem with the movie is that there is never any effort to make it any more based in reality. Your kids are bound to just ask a million questions and point out the plot holes. In fact, later in the film, one character says to Derek, “Know what your problem is Derek? You can’t say ‘what if,’ and you never will.”

That’s a great idea!

WHAT IF it was explained what happened to the teeth that were collected?

WHAT IF a parent decides they want to give their kids money instead of the ‘real’ tooth fairy?

WHAT IF Derek asked one single question about this situation instead of just totally buying into it?

WHAT IF we were given a bit of context as to why Ashley Judd is a single mother?

WHAT IF it was explained how the Tooth Fairy’s raised money?

WHAT IF Seth McFarlane’s cameo had a point?

WHAT IF Derek was a little more balanced a person instead of a black and white evil/good guy?

You catch the drift.

“The Tooth Fairy” demands its audience totally buy into a fantastic situation without giving us a morsel of context. And that might be okay for the kids who are watching, but the parents are going to get very frustrated very fast.

If you’ve ever purchased a ticket to a Jackie Chan movie, or popped one in your DVD player, you know exactly what you are going to get. Bare bones, predictable story, slapstick humor and eye-popping physical humor used throughout the environment.

With “The Spy Next Door,” that’s exactly what audiences get once again, just with a little less action and a little more family morals. And actually, that makes it kind of enjoyable.

Chan stars at Bob Ho, a seemingly simple pen salesman who is actually a Chinese super spy on loan to the CIA. He lives next door to Gillian, a beautiful single mom played by Amber Valletta. The two are romantically involved except that Gillian’s three kids hate Bob because he is boring. We all see where this is going, don’t we? He ends up having to watch them, they try and mess with him and then they are all eventually thrown into a huge spy game. Both Billy Ray Cyrus and George Lopez also have small roles.

Like we said up top, you know what you are getting with a Jackie Chan movie so it’s hard to fault the film for being as predictable as it is. What makes “The Spy Next Door” watchable, though, is the three kids played by Madeline Carroll, Will Shadley and Alina Foley. Each does a great job playing their role as foil to Chan, and also appealing to kids by either being a loner, a nerd or a free spirit each at different times. Anyone can relate to these kids and their niche performances.

What suffers because of that is the action. In the film someone says, “Spying is easy, parenting is hard” and that sort of goes along with the movie. The “spying,” aka action, is very toned down, mostly due to the PG rating while most of the entertaining bits are with the “parenting” that play up human interaction.

“The Spy Next Door” is a text book family film. Some martial arts for the boys, some lovey dovey stuff for the girls, some pretty girls for the dads and family values for the moms. The film hits on all family cylinders and though much of the humor falls flat on its face, it’s not without some charm. For that, we commend it. It won’t break any box office records or inspire 100 multiple viewings, but no one in your family will be disappointed that they saw it.

“The Spy Next Door” is in theaters now. To win free tickets check out our giveaway HERE.

Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on Fox, ‘The Simpsons’ aired its landmark 450th episode, “Once Upon a Time in Springfield.” Following the episode was an hour long documentary from Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me”), entitled “The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special in 3-D on Ice.”

With the 450th episode, and their 20th season on air, ‘The Simpsons’ has claimed the title of TV’s longest-running scripted nighttime series ever.

The 450th ‘The Simpsons’ episode was surprisingly nothing special.  No long clip episode, or huge earth shattering Simpsons change.  Actually, the episode wasn’t much about the Simpsons at all.  The primary story line was of Krusty the Clown falling in love with his new co-star, Princess Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, with the Homer and his coworkers being potentially poached by a rival nuclear plant.

“The Simpsons 20th anniversary in 3-D on Ice” was an hour long special digging into exactly what has made ‘The Simpsons’ the phenomenon it is today, with special appearances by real-life ‘The Simpsons’ look-a-likes, the town that inspired it all, and the history of how The Simpsons was created.

Past and present writers, creators and comedians came together for interviews telling the tale of how ‘The Simpsons’, which first premiered on The Tracy Ullman Show morphed into arguably the greatest spin-off of all time, winning 25 Emmys, earning their very own star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame and even getting Homer’s signature “D’oh!” added to the dictionary.

If you missed the documentary, you can watch it below.

TV has changed a lot over the last 20 years.  ‘The Simpsons’ was revolutionary television, opening up a whole new genre of TV, as not only the first popular cartoon for an older audience, but with a new brand of humor.  They were the originals of random, obscure references and “I can’t believe they just said that” jokes, and scathing social commentary that had parents shooing their kids out of the room so they could plop down on the couch to have a good laugh.

I grew up with ‘The Simpsons,’ but secretly. My parents wouldn’t let me watch it as a kid because they thought it was too crude. They didn’t like that Bart swore, that the show made light of Homer’s alcoholism or that he routinely choked Bart, and that it poked fun at certain religions and cultures, even though it was usually to prove a point.

As I type that, I have to laugh. Boy, how times have changed.

Now, we are inundated with adult cartoons: ‘Family Guy,’ ‘South Park,’ ‘The Cleveland Show,’ ‘King of the Hill’, ‘American Dad,’ each more controversial and delightfully inappropriate than the last.

The worst Bart Simpson ever said was ‘damn’ or ‘hell’, which is mild by today’s TV shows standards.  Stewie Griffin, the matricidal infant from “Family Guy,” drops b-bombs weekly, has been known to burst into song about the wonders of marijuana and make sexually explicit jokes about just about everyone.

‘South Park,’ an animated cartoon about a bunch of little kids, actually devoted an entire episode to see how many times they could say “sh*t” (162 times, in case you were curious) and Kenny, the mouthless side kick, is killed in virtually every episode.

In a game of who can push the envelope the furthest without an FCC crackdown, ‘The Simpsons’ have held true to their original style.  The characters, despite an improvement in their animation, have stayed consistent and lovable.  Homer, clueless and oafish as he may be, still treats Marge with the utmost respect.  Bart and Lisa still bicker but always hug it out in the end, and Maggie…well, Maggie still can’t talk after two decades.

‘The Simpsons’ still might not be appropriate for the youngest of audiences, but in comparison to the other animated shows in their class, they are relatively harmless. ‘Family Guy’ and ‘South Park’ are hugely popular among tweens and teens, but ‘The Simpsons’ will always be in a league of its own.

So, will there be another 20 years of ‘The Simpsons’ to look forward to?

“I think we could do it for another 20 years, actually,” Matt Groening, ‘The Simpsons’ creator, told The Associated Press at a recent tribute by Los Angeles’ Paley Center for Media. After a burst of laughter, he continued, “Omigod! Another 20? We’ll TRY! We’ll do our BEST!”

The ‘Justice League of America’ is a superhero team that varies in roster but primarily consists of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash and The Green Lantern.  These elite superheores team up to stop the most menacing of threats that endanger the entire world, galaxy and reality.  Watch them take on everything the bad guys can throw at them in all of the 91 episodes of Justice League and Justice League: Unlimited in this box set that will entertain everyone in your team.

It all started with the Justice League series that ran for two seasons on television.  This well received and critically acclaimed series stared Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, The Martian Manhunter and Hawkgirl in 3-4 episodes story arcs that took them from the far reaches of space to every corner of the globe.  On these discs they take on Lex Luthor, Gorilla Grodd, The Joker and even the government.

After the Justice League was so well received and the producers wanted to add “something” more, so they expanded the roster to include, well, every good guy from the DC Comic Universe.  Justice League: Unlimited abandoned the multiple episode story lines and instead opted for one timers that expanded on a story line for the whole season.  This is my favorite part of the whole series.  These easy to swallow and action packed episodes  are fun to watch and actually have smart writing.  The concepts are not too difficult for a child to grasp but some of the deeper themes are meant for adults.  They feature new heroes like Green Arrow, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, Huntress and The Question fighting along side the big time heroes (Batman, Superman, etc.)

This is a great series for anyone really.  Very entertaining with smart dialogue and action packed sequences.  While you may not have the time to sit around and watch them, you will be tempted to because they are just that cool.  But if you are already a fan and your kids own the previously released seasons, then do not buy this product because the only difference is the packaging.

Let me know what you think and add your own review in the comments section.

Justice League: Complete Series Stats

• $67.99 from Amazon.com
• Metal storage container holds two books of discs
• 91 episodes on 15 discs
• Creator Commentaries, featurettes and more special features

Justice League: Complete Series Reviews

“Just received this wonderful series the other day … great packaging, love the metal case. The covers & booklets were in the wrong case, but just made the switch & all was in order . I remember the original series from my own childhood & how every Saturday morning I was waiting for it … I’m loving it from my adult perspective. My 5yr. old son is getting this for Christmas & he is going to be thrilled, bet his eyes light up ! the quality of the animation is great, it doesn’t look dated . This is better than lots of the primetime programs … I am more than pleased with the purchase. I like the fact that it teaches values & helping others & that no matter how big a challenge, there is an answer . It will definetely hold his attention & I think we will more than get our monies worth on this set ! I would heartily recommend this gem to any age group. A must have for the serious collector.” – from a customer review via Amazon.com

“I like the metal tin can cover and inside the 2 full series’s of justice league and justice league unlimited are separated in the tin metal can by 2 boxsets with an artwork booklet. The extras dvd is not a big deal at all, it’s just the extra stuff put on that one dvd instead of spreading it out through the dvd’s like it originally was plus ur added bonus content which is not a big deal. Still i prefer getting everything in ONE SHOT over buying it separately having messes and taking up space. Great buy although for me a little too pricey as i could have gotten all the original series boxsets cheaper.” – from a customer review via Amazon.com

There’s one very positive thing I can say about “Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.” It does not in anyway dishonor everyone’s favorite singing rodents.

In fact, the film does a fantastic job at portraying Alvin, Simon and Theodore just as everyone remembers them. Alvin is still the cool, hip leader of the group with a natural born swagger and quick wit. Simon is the brains of the operation, always thinking three steps ahead and Theodore is still the youngest, hungriest and cutest of the crew. So make no mistake about it, these are The Chipmunks that sang “The Chipmunk Song” in 1958 and had kids glued to their TV sets in the mid Eighties.

Unfortunately, the rest of the movie doesn’t come close to living up to that legacy.

In 2007, when “Alvin and the Chipmunks” was first rebooted to massive worldwide success, the film found its charm with the back and forth between the Chipmunks and Dave Seville, played by Jason Lee. He was the perfect foil. In “The Squeakquel,” Dave is basically cut out of the movie in the very first scene and is eventually replaced by his relative Toby, played by “Chuck’s” Zachary Levy.

The problem here isn’t that Levy can’t be a capable foil for the Chipmunks. It’s that the character isn’t written as one. He’s just there, floating around, playing video games and letting the Chipmunks basically do whatever they want. What makes the whole IDEA of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” funny is that they terrorize such a likable guy such as Dave and that is sorely lacking in “The Squeakquel.”

Instead, we’re giving some weird story of the Chipmunks actually going to a high school where they are simultaneously bullied by the jocks and swooned over by the girls (remember, as a result of the first film, they are now huge recording artists). At one point, Alvin even plays football. Yes, real football. With humans.

As that’s all going down, the villain Ian (David Cross) is fighting his way back to the top because The Chipettes were literally Fed Exed to his office. How this happened, we have no idea, but it doesn’t matter. Shenanigans ensue including a lot of sped up pop music and, at the end, another sequel is set up that looks way more interesting than the film you just watched.

Chances are, if your kids enjoyed the first “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” they will enjoy its “Squeakquel.” And while it paints the Chipmunks in a fairly positive way, they deserve a much better movie than this.

“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” is rated PG for some mild rude humor. You can check for showtimes and get tickets by clicking here.

Corey Wild, Australian wildlife documentary filmmaker, travels the globe to find rare and amazing to bring right into your home with his DVD series. His goal? To expose you and your children to exotic animals you have never seen and promote understanding and conservation through education.

We’ve been sharing with you clips of all of Corey’s adventures, and this week, we are giving away a complete set of Corey’s Wild World dvds, over six hours of action packed Wildlife Adventures to both thrill and educate your child about the amazing creatures around them, and what they can do to protect them.

Here’s a sneak peak of each dvd:

Corey’s Wild World: Volume 1
Corey’s Wild World: Volume 2
Corey’s Wild World: Volume 3
Corey’s Wild World: Volume 4
Corey’s Wild World: Volume 5
Corey’s Wild World: Volume 6

Here’s how to enter:

You get one entry for each of the above, so the more you enter, the more chances you have to win! Just remember to leave a comment for each contest entry you complete. (Ex. I tweeted this and then add the link of your tweet)

Note: This giveaway is open to all international readers.  Please be aware the DVDs are in international format and won’t play on most US only DVD players.

The lucky winner will be chosen randomly. Giveaway ends Wednesday December 30, 2009. Winner will be reached by email, and announced on the blog 12/30/09.

Good luck!!

“Avatar,” the first feature film by director James Cameron since he was crowned The King of the World with “Titanic” in 1997, is easily one of the most highly anticipated films of this rapidly ending decade. It opens today and – some minor gripes aside – will be THE family film of the holiday season.

Set in a future where humans have pretty much destroyed the Earth, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is assigned to the far away planet of Pandora. There, scientists have figured out a way to put his consciousness into an Avatar, a vessel of a body resembling that of the native people called the Na’vi. Jake’s mission is to infiltrate the tall, blue, naturalistic Na’vi, learn about them, and do his best to help the humans take the rich energy source their home is built on. Predictably, Jake grows a consciousness and the film slowly becomes a love letter to nature in an epic war.

Right off the bat, as a parent you are probably thinking, “That sounds a little too confusing for my kids.” And it is. The film is rated PG-13 for “intense epic battle sequences and warfare, sensuality, language and some smoking.” So parents should definitely be aware that while the movie is purposely devoid of a lot of questionable material, it can get very intense, has some confusing jargon and a lot of religious themes. Plus, younger kids might be confused that – in the end – the human race becomes the enemy.

However, if your kid can compartmentalize those things, the action in this film is unbelievably exciting and, actually, not too violent. Your kids are going to walk out of this movie and want the toys asap. And they will probably want to see it again too, especially if you see it in 3D. And really, since this film is going to be one of the largest 3D releases in Hollywood history, there’s really no excuse not too. See “Avatar” in 3D. Trust me.

As an adult, you too are going to enjoy the film. Cameron is on the ball much like he was in his non-family friendly films “True Lies,” “Terminator 2″ and “Aliens.” Unlike those films, though, “Avatar” lacks a truly original story. It’s basically “Pocahontas” or “Dances with Wolves” with an alien race. You aren’t going to talk out of the film blown away by the story. The visuals and action, on the other hand, will do just that.

“Avatar” is in theaters today. Click here to find out where it’s playing and to get tickets for those coveted 3D screenings.