I'm not going to try to explain things myself as I am just one of the many Directv customers who have been impacted by what Viacom has done, so here is the website you may check for some of the details: http://www.directvpromise.com/#1.
News reports are rolling in now about the dispute. So far, Cox Communications supports Directv's decision to stand its ground.
Here's the thing though. It's one thing that they have screwed up the customers of Directv who PAY for the Viacom channels. Directv is crediting some of the customers, has given Encore movie channels to customers for the rest of July (there are a few decent films worth seeing on there).
Thing is that a CNN blog post asserts that calling Directv as a result of what Viacom has caused results in free stuff. YET in the post, the writer acknowledged that none of the information could be verified. Wow! Smooth CNN, I hope you do not have membership with the Society of Professional Journalists because that is an obvious violation of the code of ethics.
Viacom wants to deceive people into believing that Directv is at fault. Viacom is trying to strongarm Directv customers to pay more for the same channels with the same programs that everyone else has, most of which have shows that no longer appeal to the majority of the people. EXCEPT children.
Go into your local Target, Wal-mart, Toys R Us or any other store. Look at how much presence Nickelodeon has in the electronic/media section, the toy department, the grocery department, the clothing department, and well, just apart every department. Then if you decide that what Viacom is doing is wrong, boycott by not buying anything put out by any of its companies. (http://www.viacom.com/ourbrands/Pages/default.aspx)
http://www.nick.com/videos/full-episode-videos/
Viacom lacks class. They want to blame Directv for their greed. Directv finds their demands to be unreasonable. A representative stated to me on the phone that they know of no business that raises their contract 30 percent from one year to the next. I said, "Well, insurance companies." He said, "Oh, well you just proved me wrong. But this isn't a life or death service either." TRUE THAT!
Directv has been stepping up their game since the channels got yanked (and the representatives have repeatedly explained that they DID ask Viacom to allow customers to continue to have access to their channels while the negotiations were going on; well, we know what happened if we have DTV). For some customers, this meant issuing 5 dollar per month credits for as little as two months.
I found out our account qualifies for free HD receiver upgrade. We're looking into DVR service. Will be calling tomorrow probably to find out more information before making the plunge. We want to add Hallmark Movie Channel. Personally, the main impact this bully tactic of Viacom's has in my household is if House of Anubis returns with another season next year. Other than that, we can live without the channels. But I do have cousins who would be DEVASTATED. They are the adopted fraternal twins of my cousin. They love Nickelodeon. They are in elementary school. One girl and one boy. So not only do they have the consumer power of children, but they also have the gender pull since the market likes to distinguish between the genders.
Directv has been posting frequent updates on their Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/directv Viacom, on the other hand? http://www.facebook.com/Viacom Lacks class. July 11, they posted a picture of Spongebob Squarepants that was a direct jab at Directv and DTV customers.
The thing is when it was just pulling the channels from DTV customers, it was one company, but then Viacom pulled full episodes from their sites. Who's to blame for that? People who don't own televisions sometimes watch programs online. Another huge marketing influence.
News reports about the dispute? https://www.google.com/webhp?source=search_app#q=viacom&hl=en&prmd=imvnsuz&source=univ&tbm=nws&tbo=u&sa=X&psj=1&ei=j5H_T_j6D5Oo8gTB_PmrCA&ved=0CBYQqAI&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=83f80cfbb2267061&biw=1024&bih=651 The reports are varying, but many have the tone of scathing for Viacom.
If you're a fellow customer, boycott. Spread the word. Eventually, it will trickle down to where it hurts - Viacom's wallets. Start now with not buying any foods or school supplies that feature the beloved characters of children who are avid Nickelodeon fans. Another place consumers can cause them pain for their behavior: Theaters. http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/release.php Not that it would be too hard considering looking at the list of films they have vested interest in may be as stinky in the downward quality turn as their programming on their channels.
Viacom also would have customers believe that switching would help. I contacted Charter Cable (got runaround and still have not had all my questions answered). I contacted Dish. Even though they have Viacom channels for now, what they cannot guarantee is for how long and they will not divulge how much longer their Viacom contract is. But Directv is standing ground not only for its customers but also for those who will face this situation next year or any year after.
Being that I am one of the customers who has been caught in the middle of this battle where I should never have had to be dragged into I cannot say much more and for that I apologize. That is why I gave a general link for the news reports. Since I have personal interest in this situation on several counts, I cannot give the most unbiased report.
Boycott. Let your children be your guide.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Muppets
I was fortunate to be able to attend The Muppets Thanksgiving Day along with my mother thanks in part to Disney Movie Rewards. I really had relatively little exposure to The Muppets overall, so it was quite an interesting treat.
There are lots of scenes to elicit laughter, tears and just utter delight.
The Muppets film seems to have a song to surprise and delight all ages, young and old.
The music of this film is quite memorable, with a remake of "The Muppet Show" theme song.
Just about every muppet appears in this film including Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Rowlf, Scooter, the Swedish chef, Rizzo Rat, Pepe the shrimp, Miss Piggy, Statler and Waldorf, Sam the eagle, Sweetums, Animal, and the Rainbow Connection.
Celebrities Jack Black, Selena Gomez and Whoopi Goldberg also appear among others.
The main plot is concentrated around the muppets trying to put together a comeback show in order to save their legacy. They are joined by a charismatic little muppet named Walter who with his human twin brother and his brothers fiancée travel the states and Paris in order to reunite the group and save the muppet museum from an oil bigwig before the deed is officially transferred away from the muppets.
The Muppets is a tale of hope, survival, friendship, reconciliation and redemption that is sure to delight all audiences.
Although not the greatest of The Muppet films, it is still a great family film.
I definitely recommend that everyone see it if they have not already.
There are lots of scenes to elicit laughter, tears and just utter delight.
The Muppets film seems to have a song to surprise and delight all ages, young and old.
The music of this film is quite memorable, with a remake of "The Muppet Show" theme song.
Just about every muppet appears in this film including Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Rowlf, Scooter, the Swedish chef, Rizzo Rat, Pepe the shrimp, Miss Piggy, Statler and Waldorf, Sam the eagle, Sweetums, Animal, and the Rainbow Connection.
Celebrities Jack Black, Selena Gomez and Whoopi Goldberg also appear among others.
The main plot is concentrated around the muppets trying to put together a comeback show in order to save their legacy. They are joined by a charismatic little muppet named Walter who with his human twin brother and his brothers fiancée travel the states and Paris in order to reunite the group and save the muppet museum from an oil bigwig before the deed is officially transferred away from the muppets.
The Muppets is a tale of hope, survival, friendship, reconciliation and redemption that is sure to delight all audiences.
Although not the greatest of The Muppet films, it is still a great family film.
I definitely recommend that everyone see it if they have not already.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Mr. Popper's Penguins
Mr. Popper's Penguins is a delightful family film about a businessman whose father has been away in Antarctica for most of his life. He is separated from his wife and has weekend custody of his two children, a precocious boy and a pubescent daughter who has her own share of drama. It is as he is in the middle of trying to make an acquisition for his company on an old restaurant that he learns that his father passed away and ends up inheriting a penguin which due to a language gap ends up quickly turning into him acquiring six penguins!
His children end up coming over for a birthday celebration with him and his son falls in love with the penguins. As time passes, Mr. Popper becomes attached to the penguins and they to him. Named after characteristics they show, they become like part of the family for him, his wife and his children. He even goes so far as to allow some of the snow into his apartment so they can have a cold environment in which to live. The problem with his attachment becomes evident when three of the penguins lay eggs and after a few more weeks, all but one of the eggs hatches. He then does everything he can to try to get that egg to hatch.
He is in such despair over the egg situation he calls the zoo guard who insists on taking the penguins. What Mr. Popper does not realize is that the zoo guard did not intend to keep the penguins but to ship them off to another zoo. So he and his family ensue on an adventure to rescue the penguins from the zoo. They realize as they are about to leave that one penguin is missing and then see him on the roof. The penguin has been trying to fly and has his one moment of flight due in part to the kite that got stuck to him as they were escaping through the gift shop.
At the end, the whole family takes the penguins and their two babies back to Antarctica where one of the penguins ends up laying a new egg. They vow to make frequent return visits to see the penguins.
This film is rated PG and is one that is sure to be enjoyable to young and old.
His children end up coming over for a birthday celebration with him and his son falls in love with the penguins. As time passes, Mr. Popper becomes attached to the penguins and they to him. Named after characteristics they show, they become like part of the family for him, his wife and his children. He even goes so far as to allow some of the snow into his apartment so they can have a cold environment in which to live. The problem with his attachment becomes evident when three of the penguins lay eggs and after a few more weeks, all but one of the eggs hatches. He then does everything he can to try to get that egg to hatch.
He is in such despair over the egg situation he calls the zoo guard who insists on taking the penguins. What Mr. Popper does not realize is that the zoo guard did not intend to keep the penguins but to ship them off to another zoo. So he and his family ensue on an adventure to rescue the penguins from the zoo. They realize as they are about to leave that one penguin is missing and then see him on the roof. The penguin has been trying to fly and has his one moment of flight due in part to the kite that got stuck to him as they were escaping through the gift shop.
At the end, the whole family takes the penguins and their two babies back to Antarctica where one of the penguins ends up laying a new egg. They vow to make frequent return visits to see the penguins.
This film is rated PG and is one that is sure to be enjoyable to young and old.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
The Smurfs
Unless you were born in the late 1990s, there is a chance that you are familiar with the little blue characters known as Smurfs. But even if you are familiar with the Smurfs, you have never seen them like The Smurfs film.
When I learned that this classic cartoon series was turning into a film, I was not sure what to think of it and said that if I saw it, it would be in the local dollar theater. But then I received an e-mail invitation for an advanced screening. Free.
It does have a 3D version available, but as I always say, save the money and just watch the 2D.
There is enough action and storyline in this film that you do not need the extra visual effects of the 3D to be into the film. The screening was packed!
This film has a lot to offer: endearing comedy, heartbreaking moments, engagement with the characters, greater messages and morals.
What basically happens is that Clumsy Smurf accidentally leads Gargamel and Azrael to the Smurf Village. They then have to flee and Clumsy ends up down the wrong path and in a cave where he ends up sucked into a portal that has opened up due to the blue moon. Papa, Smurfette, Gutsy, Grouchy and Brainy also get sucked into the portal as they try to rescue Clumsy and escape Gargamel at the same time. Then Azrael gets tossed into the portal and Gargamel follows. They all end up in Central Park in the middle of New York City.
In their effort to escape, Clumsy falls into a box and the others end up on top of the cab that the man, Patrick, climbs into to go home to his apartment and pregnant wife and dog.
The others find the apartment and end up in the box that Clumsy already escaped from and ended up running from the dog and trapped in the toilet of the bathroom. The wife finds Clumsy in a wad of wet toilet paper while Patrick finds the other Smurfs in the box. Chaos ensues.
As the few days pass and Papa Smurf diligently seeks a way to get his Smurfs back home and stay safe from Gargamel, the Smurfs and the couple become close. Papa even provides wise advice and encouragement to Patrick about his work and his ability to be a good father. Patrick learns to be who he is and not worry about what others think. And Clumsy learns that he can be a hero while the other Smurfs learn to accept him for who he is.
As to Gargamel, he finds life in New York City to be much different than what he is accustomed to. And he does make a mess out of things because of his awkwardness and lack of social adeptness.
In the end, the Smurfs do return home safe from Gargamel and Azrael with both the Smurfs and the couple having learned things from each other as well as having made new friends.
There are a lot of comical places and endearing moments with good moral lessons.
Overall, I would even say that I actually would not mind seeing this film again. With a PG rating, it is one of the few films currently in theaters that the whole family can enjoy.
When I learned that this classic cartoon series was turning into a film, I was not sure what to think of it and said that if I saw it, it would be in the local dollar theater. But then I received an e-mail invitation for an advanced screening. Free.
It does have a 3D version available, but as I always say, save the money and just watch the 2D.
There is enough action and storyline in this film that you do not need the extra visual effects of the 3D to be into the film. The screening was packed!
This film has a lot to offer: endearing comedy, heartbreaking moments, engagement with the characters, greater messages and morals.
What basically happens is that Clumsy Smurf accidentally leads Gargamel and Azrael to the Smurf Village. They then have to flee and Clumsy ends up down the wrong path and in a cave where he ends up sucked into a portal that has opened up due to the blue moon. Papa, Smurfette, Gutsy, Grouchy and Brainy also get sucked into the portal as they try to rescue Clumsy and escape Gargamel at the same time. Then Azrael gets tossed into the portal and Gargamel follows. They all end up in Central Park in the middle of New York City.
In their effort to escape, Clumsy falls into a box and the others end up on top of the cab that the man, Patrick, climbs into to go home to his apartment and pregnant wife and dog.
The others find the apartment and end up in the box that Clumsy already escaped from and ended up running from the dog and trapped in the toilet of the bathroom. The wife finds Clumsy in a wad of wet toilet paper while Patrick finds the other Smurfs in the box. Chaos ensues.
As the few days pass and Papa Smurf diligently seeks a way to get his Smurfs back home and stay safe from Gargamel, the Smurfs and the couple become close. Papa even provides wise advice and encouragement to Patrick about his work and his ability to be a good father. Patrick learns to be who he is and not worry about what others think. And Clumsy learns that he can be a hero while the other Smurfs learn to accept him for who he is.
As to Gargamel, he finds life in New York City to be much different than what he is accustomed to. And he does make a mess out of things because of his awkwardness and lack of social adeptness.
In the end, the Smurfs do return home safe from Gargamel and Azrael with both the Smurfs and the couple having learned things from each other as well as having made new friends.
There are a lot of comical places and endearing moments with good moral lessons.
Overall, I would even say that I actually would not mind seeing this film again. With a PG rating, it is one of the few films currently in theaters that the whole family can enjoy.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Cyberbully Brings to Light a Relevant Topic for Today's Young Adults
ABC Family Channel film Cyberbully aired twice Sunday, July 17, 2011 and then again Wednesday, July 20, 2011. The film, which was released in partnership with [Delete] Digital Drama and Seventeen magazine, shed light on a very relevant topic for today's young adults. The hope is that parents watched along with their young people as it touched on the issue of cyberbullying.
First question. What is cyberbullying? http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/ has a lot of answers as to what is considered to be cyberbullying. In summary, it is any kind of behavior ranging from harassing communications and assaults on an individual. Just as bullying can involve disability, age, race, religion, etc., cyberbullying often targets the same kind of areas.
In this film, Emily Osment plays a high school girl named Taylor who receives a computer for her birthday. She ends up signing up for a social networking site similar to the ever popular Facebook at the encouragement of a couple of her friends. From the start, another classmate, Lindsay, becomes a problem for Taylor.
Taylor's brother ends up hacking into her profile and changing her status, but by the time Taylor learns of it, her reputation is already faltering as everyone in her class sees the status and starts making very harassing inappropriate comments on the status. Taylor's mom encourages her to remove the profile, but Taylor hangs on.
To address one area of concern, it is not a simple matter of blocking the bullies. The bullies are often smarter than their victims and end up creating fake profiles and go right back after their victims. Taylor's friend Samantha does this when she creates a fake profile pretending to be a guy that ends up turning around and misusing personal conversations from chats with Taylor and begins posting falsehoods about her.
Turning the computer off does not help deter cyberbullying as the audience that sees the comments about what is going on can carry over into school, work and social life. This is what happens to Taylor in the film. It gets so bad that some students end up posting a spoof video related to the falsehoods which send Taylor over the edge.
Taylor is from a broken family. This factor alone adds fuel to the situation as Taylor hardly ever hears from her father. So by the time the spoof video is posted on Taylor's profile, she is so depressed by the situation that she posts a video that her friend Samantha sees and becomes concerned over. Samantha does the right thing when she calls Taylor's mom for help and rushes over to Taylor's house. Taylor is found having locked herself in the bathroom and trying to open a bottle of pills.
As a result, Taylor ends up on a sedative for a few days and is restricted from accessing her profile. But she starts attending group therapy sessions with other young people who have also been victims of cyberbullying. The group delves into things they can do to stop being victims and to help others. Who can you tell if you are a victim? What can you do?
While all of this is going on, Taylor's mother starts trying to find the individual responsible for the fake profile that nearly ruined Taylor's life. In the process, she runs into the father of Lindsay, the main harasser, who retorts that he is an attorney and that his daughter has rights under the First Amendment. This is another cause of concern when it comes to cyberbullying. How far does the First Amendment extend when it comes to harassing and threatening communication? Is it really protected speech?
One of the things that comes to light for Taylor is when Samantha reveals that she is the one who created the fake profile and is now a victim of cyberbullying herself. The two of them both agree to speak with the media which then helps them to make sure laws get passed in their state to protect people against cyberbullies.
The film reveals a startling statistic: Only 34 of the 50 states have laws against cyberbullying. Even more startling for Alabama residents, Alabama has no law.
Young people have actually become suicide statistics over something that has been said on social networks about them.
Facebook has rules in place that prohibit such behavior, but it still occurs. When Facebook actually had an e-mail address for victims of cyberbullying to send information to, it was a little easier to put a stop to. For example, it is against Facebook rules to establish a hate group against any people group on Facebook. But there was a hate group that had basically stated that people with peanut allergies would be better off dead because people without peanut allergies feel inconvenienced when schools go peanut free. There was a young lady who was in a peanut allergy support group that had stated that seeing some of the things the hate group was saying made her want to hurt herself. I ended up reporting the group as a result, sending an e-mail with copies of the statements. The group did get shut down.
Today, there is a report/block button, but who knows what happens from there? Does Facebook even do anything?
Overall, I personally feel that this film shed light on an area of extreme relevance for today's young people (35 and under) and their parents, youth workers, teachers, etc. It served as a sort of call to attention and call for action.
What will it take for the cyberbullying laws to go nationwide? More victims becoming statistics? I hope not.
Other resources:
http://www.cyberbully.org/cyberbully/
http://abcfamily.go.com/movies/abc-family-movies/videos-details/featured/delete-digital-drama/pl_PL55106934/vd_VD55133208
http://abcfamily.go.com/movies/cyberbully/blogs-details/digital-drama-comes-life/820260
Conversation Starter
Q&A with Emily Osment
http://abcfamily.go.com/movies/cyberbully/blogs-details/support-delete-digital-drama-twibbon/822381
First question. What is cyberbullying? http://www.stopcyberbullying.org/ has a lot of answers as to what is considered to be cyberbullying. In summary, it is any kind of behavior ranging from harassing communications and assaults on an individual. Just as bullying can involve disability, age, race, religion, etc., cyberbullying often targets the same kind of areas.
In this film, Emily Osment plays a high school girl named Taylor who receives a computer for her birthday. She ends up signing up for a social networking site similar to the ever popular Facebook at the encouragement of a couple of her friends. From the start, another classmate, Lindsay, becomes a problem for Taylor.
Taylor's brother ends up hacking into her profile and changing her status, but by the time Taylor learns of it, her reputation is already faltering as everyone in her class sees the status and starts making very harassing inappropriate comments on the status. Taylor's mom encourages her to remove the profile, but Taylor hangs on.
To address one area of concern, it is not a simple matter of blocking the bullies. The bullies are often smarter than their victims and end up creating fake profiles and go right back after their victims. Taylor's friend Samantha does this when she creates a fake profile pretending to be a guy that ends up turning around and misusing personal conversations from chats with Taylor and begins posting falsehoods about her.
Turning the computer off does not help deter cyberbullying as the audience that sees the comments about what is going on can carry over into school, work and social life. This is what happens to Taylor in the film. It gets so bad that some students end up posting a spoof video related to the falsehoods which send Taylor over the edge.
Taylor is from a broken family. This factor alone adds fuel to the situation as Taylor hardly ever hears from her father. So by the time the spoof video is posted on Taylor's profile, she is so depressed by the situation that she posts a video that her friend Samantha sees and becomes concerned over. Samantha does the right thing when she calls Taylor's mom for help and rushes over to Taylor's house. Taylor is found having locked herself in the bathroom and trying to open a bottle of pills.
As a result, Taylor ends up on a sedative for a few days and is restricted from accessing her profile. But she starts attending group therapy sessions with other young people who have also been victims of cyberbullying. The group delves into things they can do to stop being victims and to help others. Who can you tell if you are a victim? What can you do?
While all of this is going on, Taylor's mother starts trying to find the individual responsible for the fake profile that nearly ruined Taylor's life. In the process, she runs into the father of Lindsay, the main harasser, who retorts that he is an attorney and that his daughter has rights under the First Amendment. This is another cause of concern when it comes to cyberbullying. How far does the First Amendment extend when it comes to harassing and threatening communication? Is it really protected speech?
One of the things that comes to light for Taylor is when Samantha reveals that she is the one who created the fake profile and is now a victim of cyberbullying herself. The two of them both agree to speak with the media which then helps them to make sure laws get passed in their state to protect people against cyberbullies.
The film reveals a startling statistic: Only 34 of the 50 states have laws against cyberbullying. Even more startling for Alabama residents, Alabama has no law.
Young people have actually become suicide statistics over something that has been said on social networks about them.
Facebook has rules in place that prohibit such behavior, but it still occurs. When Facebook actually had an e-mail address for victims of cyberbullying to send information to, it was a little easier to put a stop to. For example, it is against Facebook rules to establish a hate group against any people group on Facebook. But there was a hate group that had basically stated that people with peanut allergies would be better off dead because people without peanut allergies feel inconvenienced when schools go peanut free. There was a young lady who was in a peanut allergy support group that had stated that seeing some of the things the hate group was saying made her want to hurt herself. I ended up reporting the group as a result, sending an e-mail with copies of the statements. The group did get shut down.
Today, there is a report/block button, but who knows what happens from there? Does Facebook even do anything?
Overall, I personally feel that this film shed light on an area of extreme relevance for today's young people (35 and under) and their parents, youth workers, teachers, etc. It served as a sort of call to attention and call for action.
What will it take for the cyberbullying laws to go nationwide? More victims becoming statistics? I hope not.
Other resources:
http://www.cyberbully.org/cyberbully/
http://abcfamily.go.com/movies/abc-family-movies/videos-details/featured/delete-digital-drama/pl_PL55106934/vd_VD55133208
http://abcfamily.go.com/movies/cyberbully/blogs-details/digital-drama-comes-life/820260
Conversation Starter
Q&A with Emily Osment
http://abcfamily.go.com/movies/cyberbully/blogs-details/support-delete-digital-drama-twibbon/822381
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Cars 2 and Redemption
I am not that big a fan of the Cars films, but since I had won a couple of vouchers that got both my mother and I into the Cars 2 film for free, I figured what the heck?
I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
So as not to give any spoilers, I won't reveal too much of the story line, but this film focused on the friendship between Lightning McQueen and Mater. McQueen had tried to get Mater to conform to being more sophisticated while they traveled the globe for races, but in the end, he learned that friendship is more important than conformity.
I particularly loved the quotes regarding friendship in this film! And of course, one line: "Mater! I'm sticking by you the way you always stick by me."
On a cost-saving note, the film has enough action packed into the 2D version, so save the money and skip the 3D version unless you want to get really dizzy!
I actually enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
So as not to give any spoilers, I won't reveal too much of the story line, but this film focused on the friendship between Lightning McQueen and Mater. McQueen had tried to get Mater to conform to being more sophisticated while they traveled the globe for races, but in the end, he learned that friendship is more important than conformity.
I particularly loved the quotes regarding friendship in this film! And of course, one line: "Mater! I'm sticking by you the way you always stick by me."
On a cost-saving note, the film has enough action packed into the 2D version, so save the money and skip the 3D version unless you want to get really dizzy!
Friday, July 1, 2011
ABC Family Offers an Excellent Program Bridging Two Cultures
I was super excited when I first started seeing previews of some of the summer programs for ABC Family. Of particular interest to me is the show "Switched at Birth."
"Switched at Birth" showcases the challenges of the Deaf culture and integration in the hearing community through the merger of two families brought together by the fact that their teenage daughters were switched at birth. Daphne and Bay. Daphne (Katie Leclerc) had meningitis which led to a hearing loss. She reads lips and uses sign language when she communicates. Bay (Vanessa Marano) is a "goth" girl similar to Ashley Jergens from "The Secret Life of an American Teenager."
The show brings both girls together as Bay had decided that she wanted to know why she was so different than the family she grew up with and DNA showed that she was not who she thought she was because she had been switched at birth.
The show also highlights the challenges that the Deaf can face as they try to live in a world of hearing people through the story of Emmett (Sean Berdy). As Bay and Daphne adjust to the fact that they come from completely different backgrounds that have now become interwoven, both girls and both families, as well as their many friends from their different schools, find themselves having to learn about a culture that is completely different than they are used to. The family Bay grew up with is well-off and athletic. The family Daphne grew up with is broken, not as well-off and artistic. Bay attends a hearing school that is a prestigious magnet school. Daphne attends a school for the Deaf.
The show does an excellent job of incorporating sign language and captions as well for those who are interested in the whole experience of it.
I honestly hope that it proves to be successful as I would love to see this concept play out even further on more channels. This is truly a unique approach to an area that often has little exposure in the mass media.
"Switched at Birth" showcases the challenges of the Deaf culture and integration in the hearing community through the merger of two families brought together by the fact that their teenage daughters were switched at birth. Daphne and Bay. Daphne (Katie Leclerc) had meningitis which led to a hearing loss. She reads lips and uses sign language when she communicates. Bay (Vanessa Marano) is a "goth" girl similar to Ashley Jergens from "The Secret Life of an American Teenager."
The show brings both girls together as Bay had decided that she wanted to know why she was so different than the family she grew up with and DNA showed that she was not who she thought she was because she had been switched at birth.
The show also highlights the challenges that the Deaf can face as they try to live in a world of hearing people through the story of Emmett (Sean Berdy). As Bay and Daphne adjust to the fact that they come from completely different backgrounds that have now become interwoven, both girls and both families, as well as their many friends from their different schools, find themselves having to learn about a culture that is completely different than they are used to. The family Bay grew up with is well-off and athletic. The family Daphne grew up with is broken, not as well-off and artistic. Bay attends a hearing school that is a prestigious magnet school. Daphne attends a school for the Deaf.
The show does an excellent job of incorporating sign language and captions as well for those who are interested in the whole experience of it.
I honestly hope that it proves to be successful as I would love to see this concept play out even further on more channels. This is truly a unique approach to an area that often has little exposure in the mass media.
Monday, April 11, 2011
StadiumFest 2011
Casting Crowns and TobyMac rocked the stadium April 2, 2011 during StadiumFest at Spain Park High School .
Casting Crowns did "We Are the Body," "Praise You in This Storm," "Until the Whole World Hears," and "Who Am I?" to name a few songs.
TobyMac did "Jesus Freak," "Funky Jesus Music," "Get Back Up," "Made to Love," and "City on Our Knees" to name a few.
Weather was perfect for this day as it started with the Bronner Burgess Children's Playground, James Spann from ABC 33/40 on the children's stage, Bello, Kevin Derryberry, and Rick and Bubba on the main stage leading up to Casting Crowns and TobyMac followed by fireworks.
The diversity of the performances from Casting Crowns and TobyMac and all of the testimonies intermingled made StadiumFest 2011 and event that was not to be missed. The best and neatest part is that it was all FREE to attend.
Casting Crowns did "We Are the Body," "Praise You in This Storm," "Until the Whole World Hears," and "Who Am I?" to name a few songs.
TobyMac did "Jesus Freak," "Funky Jesus Music," "Get Back Up," "Made to Love," and "City on Our Knees" to name a few.
Weather was perfect for this day as it started with the Bronner Burgess Children's Playground, James Spann from ABC 33/40 on the children's stage, Bello, Kevin Derryberry, and Rick and Bubba on the main stage leading up to Casting Crowns and TobyMac followed by fireworks.
The diversity of the performances from Casting Crowns and TobyMac and all of the testimonies intermingled made StadiumFest 2011 and event that was not to be missed. The best and neatest part is that it was all FREE to attend.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Upcoming Event
If you are interested in perhaps one of the biggest FREE events (outside of Alabaster's CityFest in June) in the Birmingham area, come to StadiumFest Saturday, April 2, 2011. The event will be held at Spain Park High School and will have a children's play area. Christian group Casting Crowns and Christian artist TobyMac are the headliners along with several local "celebrities," like Rick and "Bubba," Kevin Derryberry and James Spann the weatherman from ABC 33/40. By the way, they would like as many volunteers as they can get, so consider contacting them about volunteering your time before, during or after the AWESOME music as well as enjoying the FREE event. It's really NOT too often that I get THIS excited over upcoming events, but this one merits the excitement. And if you do come, look for me over in the children's area where I will be volunteering before going to see TobyMac whose music has been an inspiration and an encouragement since I got diagnosed with my immune deficiency almost a year ago. And in case you're wondering who TobyMac is, most of the more mature people may recall the Christian group DCTalk. I will post more information and links in the days to come when I can access a computer, but for now, consider this a preview until after I see my primary medical doctor about some rather intense upper right quadrant pain that needs prayers.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyager of the Dawn Treader
Went to see the third installment of Chronicles of Narnia based on the C.S. Lewis series of the same name with my mother. Voyage of the Dawn Treader proves to be quite intense, and that was just the 2D version. I would not recommend the 3D version unless you can handle the excitement of 3D. 3D can cause headaches, motion sickness and other ill effects.
For parents with children who enjoy the series, I would not recommend this film for anyone under the age of 10 due to the extremely intense moments.
The third installment finds Lucy and Edmond staying with a cousin, Eustace, while older siblings Susan and Peter are in America. Young Lucy finds herself envious of Susan as she does not believe that she is as pretty. Edmond tries to enter the army. And Eustace is just an impish child who despises his cousins.
In this latest installment, the entrance to Narnia is through a painting. We are re-acquainted with Caspian and Reepicheep as well as some other familiar characters. We are also introduced to the seven lords as the quest for the seven swords takes place in order to restore good to the world of Narnia.
But restoring good to Narnia involves a lot of testing of everyone. Each person has his or her own test to pass in order to accomplish the task they have at hand. Each person has to resist the temptation that evil puts in their way as they pass their tests and face their fears and challenges.
We also see at the end just how much like God Aslan really is as he converts Eustace back into a human boy and gives Caspian a choice of whether or not to go to Aslan's country while we say good-bye to Reepicheep as he sails off to Aslan's country. For it is in this scene that we can draw the comparison that Aslan's country must be like Heaven.
But alas, Lucy and Edmond are growing up and may not return to Narnia. But Eustace may be drawn back again.
My favorite line from this film is from Reepicheep when he told Lucy, "We have nothing, if not belief."
Monday, November 1, 2010
2nd & Charles
Okay, so this is not exactly the typical media review since it is about a store, but it is about a store that deals with media, so technically, it is a media review.
In the Birmingham, AL area, we have a new store called 2nd & Charles, and let me just say, it is one of those kind of stores that not only can you literally get lost and absorbed in for several hours, but the first time I took in boxes of books for sale, my one and a half hours turned into three hours very quickly.
But thanks to 2nd & Charles, I am one CD shy of having EVERY Jump5 CD that had ever been released before the group called it quits because they were about to take different paths in life. Their self-titled debut album seems to be the ever-elusive one.
But during an age in which the other pop stars were Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, I have to say Jump5 was one of the best alternative pop groups available during that time period. With songs like "All I Can Do," "Do Ya," and remixes of "God Bless the U.S.A.," "Celebrate," and "We Are Family," there are few people that would not like Jump5's music.
However, I veer slightly off topic.
2nd & Charles will buy back most any form of media. They offer store credit or cash. Store credit is almost double and can be used for any purchase in their store. Secondhand DVDs for $5.50, secondhand CDs for $3-$5 in most cases, books as inexpensive as $1, and even record albums. Some of the selections of records would be to-die-for for avid collectors of things like Elvis Presley, U2, and The Beatles. Or in my case, Jump5, Christmas music, Disney films, animal films, or avid book readers.
Too bad I could not find any Paddington Bear the last time I was there, but who knows? They are still relatively new, so maybe the next time I am there, I might find some.
In the Birmingham, AL area, we have a new store called 2nd & Charles, and let me just say, it is one of those kind of stores that not only can you literally get lost and absorbed in for several hours, but the first time I took in boxes of books for sale, my one and a half hours turned into three hours very quickly.
But thanks to 2nd & Charles, I am one CD shy of having EVERY Jump5 CD that had ever been released before the group called it quits because they were about to take different paths in life. Their self-titled debut album seems to be the ever-elusive one.
But during an age in which the other pop stars were Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, I have to say Jump5 was one of the best alternative pop groups available during that time period. With songs like "All I Can Do," "Do Ya," and remixes of "God Bless the U.S.A.," "Celebrate," and "We Are Family," there are few people that would not like Jump5's music.
However, I veer slightly off topic.
2nd & Charles will buy back most any form of media. They offer store credit or cash. Store credit is almost double and can be used for any purchase in their store. Secondhand DVDs for $5.50, secondhand CDs for $3-$5 in most cases, books as inexpensive as $1, and even record albums. Some of the selections of records would be to-die-for for avid collectors of things like Elvis Presley, U2, and The Beatles. Or in my case, Jump5, Christmas music, Disney films, animal films, or avid book readers.
Too bad I could not find any Paddington Bear the last time I was there, but who knows? They are still relatively new, so maybe the next time I am there, I might find some.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Reflections on Disney's "A Christmas Carol"-Did the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present Read the Bible? copied from Facebook Notes and My Thoughts on Life and Other Things
I hesitated on seeing YET another version of the same old tale. They're all the same. Boy, was I wrong! Disney did such a great job on the special effects, and that was just the 2D! But I dare not venture the 3D. I wish I could remember the exact lines, I was too enraptured by the special effects, but I plan to revisit the old classic book version at the end of the semester at any rate, but there were some lines spoken by the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present that speak to the nature of mankind as sinners. I mean, you take the transformation of Scrooge. It correlates with the transformation of the believer. Perhaps the Ghosts in the Dickens' tale represent in some part that act of questioning, revelation, belief, faith, acceptance, repentance, and transformation which seem to pretty much describe the steps the new believer takes to get to the point of accepting Jesus. Or at least, it does me. Of course, the challenge is finding other believers who can help keep us steady. But it is an interesting thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlk63UeRfCs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlk63UeRfCs&feature=related
Friday, October 22, 2010
Samantha Stays Safe by Clare Mishica
In Samantha Stays Safe by Clare Mishica, we find young Samantha in the store with her mother. Her mother, like all good parents, tells Samantha not to stray very far when Samantha realizes she left her teddy bear in another department of the store. When Samantha returns, she cannot find her mother and starts to panic. Then she calms down and asks for God's help. As though an answer to prayer, Samantha remembers what her mother taught her to do when she gets lost in a store and her mother and her are reunited.
This book reminds me of the fact that God never leaves us to our own resources no matter how far we stray from Him for He never really lets us out of His sight.
The recommended ages for this book are 3-7 but parents will probably love turning to this book to remind their children that they are never out of God's sight no matter how far they may stray.
This book reminds me of the fact that God never leaves us to our own resources no matter how far we stray from Him for He never really lets us out of His sight.
The recommended ages for this book are 3-7 but parents will probably love turning to this book to remind their children that they are never out of God's sight no matter how far they may stray.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
GMUASH
I ended up receiving a book with a rather intriguing title recently when I acquired a $5 kid's surprise box. It was filled with about $30 or more worth of items. This book stood out though.
It is green. It has animals on the front cover. We're talking alligators, rabbits, hippos, frogs and hogs to name a few. It is called Superhero Swamp. And it is by a man named John Trent, Ph.D.
In the book, all these different animals that ordinarily do not get along in the wild get along just fine in the swamp in Louisiana. That is until the day that the hippos decide not to share the swamp with the smaller animals. Somehow this leads to the alligators snapping at everything, the crabs getting bossy, the frogs getting annoying and the parrots repeating everything anyone says.
Then one day one of the rabbits is praying softly in the woods for God to help things return to the way they were. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a rabbit wearing a cape with GMUASH and mask appears. He calls himself the Superhero Superhero-maker. Instantly, upon putting on the different outfits GMUASH hands them, the animals become super nice again. That is until they realize that the superhero really is not a superhero after all.
The bottom line message though is that the outfits did not change the animals. Rather the outfits reminded them what they were like all along and just served to remind them of that. But before the story can end, one question has to arise. What does GMUASH stand for?
"God Makes Us All Super Heroes."
It is green. It has animals on the front cover. We're talking alligators, rabbits, hippos, frogs and hogs to name a few. It is called Superhero Swamp. And it is by a man named John Trent, Ph.D.
In the book, all these different animals that ordinarily do not get along in the wild get along just fine in the swamp in Louisiana. That is until the day that the hippos decide not to share the swamp with the smaller animals. Somehow this leads to the alligators snapping at everything, the crabs getting bossy, the frogs getting annoying and the parrots repeating everything anyone says.
Then one day one of the rabbits is praying softly in the woods for God to help things return to the way they were. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a rabbit wearing a cape with GMUASH and mask appears. He calls himself the Superhero Superhero-maker. Instantly, upon putting on the different outfits GMUASH hands them, the animals become super nice again. That is until they realize that the superhero really is not a superhero after all.
The bottom line message though is that the outfits did not change the animals. Rather the outfits reminded them what they were like all along and just served to remind them of that. But before the story can end, one question has to arise. What does GMUASH stand for?
"God Makes Us All Super Heroes."
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Ramona and Beezus
One very anticipated family film dedicated to the dynamics of a relationship between a father and his middle daughter, Ramona and Beezus, starring Selena Gomez as big sister Beezus and Joey King as Ramona Quimby, comes from the Beverly Cleary series of books about Ramona Quimby and her sister Beezus and the dynamics of their relationship. The book, titled, Beezus and Ramona, was written back in the 1950s.
Beverly Cleary's Ramona series has obviously passed the test of time as generation after generation falls in love with the story of Ramona and her sister Beezus. Cleary has other series which includes the Ralph S. Mouse trilogy of which there were a series of films for as well.
Although the film version of the story had some significant differences from the original book by a similar name, it adequately portrayed the ever-changing Ramona as she learned how to interact better with friends and family. Ramona's keen imagination was one of the things that made this film enjoyable.
This film teaches that without imagination, life would be a bore.
I personally give it two thumbs up and can hardly wait until its DVD release later this year.
Beverly Cleary's Ramona series has obviously passed the test of time as generation after generation falls in love with the story of Ramona and her sister Beezus. Cleary has other series which includes the Ralph S. Mouse trilogy of which there were a series of films for as well.
Although the film version of the story had some significant differences from the original book by a similar name, it adequately portrayed the ever-changing Ramona as she learned how to interact better with friends and family. Ramona's keen imagination was one of the things that made this film enjoyable.
This film teaches that without imagination, life would be a bore.
I personally give it two thumbs up and can hardly wait until its DVD release later this year.
Welcome to the Media Review!
This is a welcome message to establish what this blog is about. Anything! Reviews of movies, DVDs, CDs, music, television shows, theater plays, concerts, books, websites, products, magazines, etc. And I want this blog to be a collaborative blog meaning that I don't want to be the only author on here. After all, one of the best ways for people to learn about media that they might be interested in and even like is through other people. Write on here as often or as little as you like. Send a copy to me if you want and I'll edit it and send it back for you to post. But this blog is not my blog. It's everyone's blog!
Only one rule: Keep it PG in language and no gluten free product reviews as I have a dedicated blog for that. I said one rule, but here's another: Keep it civil.
Only one rule: Keep it PG in language and no gluten free product reviews as I have a dedicated blog for that. I said one rule, but here's another: Keep it civil.
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