3 comments about Santa, Baby!.

1. ....one of tha best Animated, Christmas movie I've ever seen. You will absolutely fall in love with this film...I've seen this movie before while I was shopping at Hollywood Video and decided to get my own copy today...
   
   ....anyway...this is an awesome movie...get it...watch it...love it...peace!



2. Meh, this movie was kind of stupid. I didn't really care for the characters much either. The yellow singing bird should've been shot down! I hated the songs too. Check out Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer instead! It's always been better! Now to cook this yellow bird! Anyone hungry? MERRY CHRISTMAS YAS FILTHY ANIMAL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!



3. After years of silence, Rankin/Bass, the company responsible for such holiday staples as "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "Frosty The Snowman", "Year Without A Santa Claus", "Santa Claus Is Comin To Town" and many others, somehow managed to emerge with this terrible clunker. Gone is the Christmas enchantment that overflowed in the specials from their heydey - this depressing 1/2 hour is permeated with scenes from an impovershed ghetto. Instead of cute, charming stop-motion puppet animation, we get very cheap cel animation. I find it hard to believe that the team responsible for all those wonderful holiday classics had very much to do with this one, and I think maybe somehow their name was just tacked on it.

1 comments about The Seder on Planet Matzah Ball.

1. This DVD, created by Rabbi Mark Covitz, is designed and produced to be a child-oriented review of the history, lessons and practices involved in the Jewish observance of the Passover holiday. For those of you unfamiliar with this celebration, it commemorates the events leading up to, through and just beyond the initial Exodus from Egypt as told in the Old Testament Book of the same name. Generally, it is understood to be the story of the escape of the Jewish people from slavery to freedom. While it can be watched, enjoyed and understood by children as young as 5 or 6 - especially if they have had SOME exposure to this particular Jewish holiday - it is also a useful review for parents who are considering introducing this observance as part of introducing Judaism to their children and have the need, as many do, to begin by refreshing their OWN understanding of things, The characters are puppets of a distinctly Sesame Street style and the story is a fantasy involving `aliens' on the planet Matzah Ball who know they are Jewish - but don't remember exactly what that means or how to practice it. The characters are, it would seem, a rather obvious metaphor for the millions of Americans raised as Jews who maintain being Jewish as a secularly ethnic identity, but no longer recall or practice the traditions or observances.
   
   As the story begins, a gaggle of these cute fluffy creatures - a family of them on the Planet Matzah ball - is at home. They know they are Jewish (and all wear Deeliboppers on their heads topped with Jewish stars), and in looking at a book, realize that 1) They have no idea about what being Jewish means or 2) What to do to observe any of the holidays, including Passover which they conclude is coming up sometime soon. They decide to make an effort to find out about Passover- and the Seder particularly- by searching through their VERY advanced telescope for w world on which there might be someone they could `borrow' to lead a Seder (the ritual Passover meal and related activities) for them. Of course, they find the Earth and a Jewish family that seems to know what it is doing to prepare to celebrate Passover. They then send an emissary, their teenage daughter, to Earth in a wondrous space traveling vehicle, to drop in on this family and ask one of them to return to Matzah Ball with her to lead a Passover Seder for her own family.
   
   What goes on when she gets to this Earth family's home is the heart of the story and without retelling the details of the interactions and specific narrative here, I will say that this "Second Act" covers, thematically, three of the seminal lessons of Passover which are presented at a level useful either as initial exposure to them or as review to anyone who might want it are articulated. They include:
   - Freedom To Live As God's People
   - The Importance Of Retelling Our History, and
   - The Universal Ability To Become A Leader.
   
   Within each of these `lessons' there are many elements, scenarios, jokes and bits of detailed information The teenage alien visitor decides to invite her immediate parallel, the teenage daughter of the Earth family she has `dropped in' on, to accompany her home to lead her own family's Seder. What unfolds is predictable (as any really useful instructive children's lesson should be) as the alien teen returns home alone, having learned enough in her visit with the Earth Jewish family to be able to be the Seder leader HERSELF. As most teachers have come to realize, the teacher does not need to be a comprehensive expert about the subject of their teaching - they, more often than not, simply need to know enough about it more than their audience so as to have new information to offer! Thus it is here, and, again as was entirely predictable, her success at doing so when she gets home leads to the family rediscovering more and more of what their being Jewish really means.
   
   The DVD, which plays for just under an hour, comes with materials included that give suggestions about how it can be used, gives suggested activities and offers questions for discussion - as in the ancient Jewish tradition, the richest education is found in the active exchange of questions between two open minds.
   
   Our grand daughter, who attended a Jewish preschool, loved it. And as non-practicing ethnically identified secular Jews, we got a lot out of it, too. So, if you are one of the vast number of `us' who grew up Jewish but have left it's practices and traditions in the dust of our childhood memories - but might be interested in reawakening these things just a tad - even if only for the benefit of youngsters in the family - this DVD is a nice and fun way to start the Spring!

No comments about Christmas Fun.

No comments about A Little Christmas Magic.

4 comments about The Town That Santa Forgot - Cartoon Network.

1. I saw this cartoon the other day on Cartoon Network. I thought it was wonderful! I can see this cartoon becoming the next holiday classic.



2. I really thought this cartoon had a nice message, especially since we are experiencing problems with our children who think they need more and never seem to be satisfied. I am definetly going to buy the video so we can review it when we are feeling selfish again.



3. This special was on TV and I watched it, and it was better than I expected! The character (Jeremy) is a selfish spoiled little boy (hmmm remind you of any kids you know today?!) who only thinks about himself and the next toy he can get. Its perfect to watch with any kids who are a little too focused on the gift aspect of christmas, or even if you yourself feel like you just want everything for christmas. Its also narrated by someone famous (Im forget who, maybe Dick Van Dyke...) Its funny and the goes at a fairly fast pace (for kids with short attention spans) I would love it if the Cartoon Network would release this and some other Xmas Specials on DVD.



4. Wish this came in DVD format but until then I will just keep watching the video each year! Love the narrator, love the rhyme and love the message!

No comments about Smart Travels Europe with Rudy Maxa Switzerland and the Alps, Christmas in Switzerland NEW SEASON IV.

1 comments about Americas Western National Parks.

1. WESTERN NATIONAL PARKS - A Spectacular Tour. Featuring the spectacular cinematography of Russ Finley, this 60-minute broadcast-quality program lets you discover the beauty and diversity of America's Western National Parks.
   
   The Best Of The West - From the Sierra Nevada of California to the Badlands of South Dakota, from the depths of the Grand Canyon to the peaks of the Olympic Mountains, you'll explore the very best of over 20 national parks and dozens of national monuments in a way you never imagined. From panoramic over-views to the intimate details of native wildlife, this is the essence of America's Western National Parks. Fully narrated.
   
   Explore Over 40 Parks :
   
   Yellowstone
   Grand Teton
   Glacier
   Rocky Mountain
   Mesa Verde
   Yosemite
   Sequoia
   Lassen Volcanic
   Redwood
   Channel Islands
   Death Valley
   Olympic
   Mt. Rainier
   North Cascades
   Crater Lake
   Bryce Canyon
   Zion
   Arches
   Canyonlands
   Lake Powell
   Capitol Reef
   Grand Canyon
   Petrified Forest
   Saguaro
   Organ Pipe
   Canyon de Chelly
   Montezuma Castle
   Carlsbad Caverns
   Chaco
   Big Bend
   Mt. Rushmore
   Badlands
   AND MANY MORE!

No comments about Christmas with Lee Greenwood.

2 comments about Holiday Greetings From Ed Sullivan Show.

1. just like the great one(jackie gleason).ed made sundays a treat.this brings back the good old days.now i can show my youngest daughter the meaning of holiday spirit.really big show



2. When they originally aired this Sullivan Christmas Special on network television a few years ago, it was packed with oldie rock 'n roll clips as well as old Sullivan holiday clips. On the TV special were classic performances by Neil Diamond, the Animals, Petula Clark, Sam & Dave, etc etc. For some reason they wiped all of those great clips and left only the Christmas-oriented performances on the DVD release. On other Sullivan DVD releases, they released pretty much the same content as the TV specials. I cry FOUL on this one!!

3 comments about The Ridge.

1. This movie has fresh, almost naive, on-screen talent and amazing cinematography that helps build a crescendo of suspense without resorting to special effects or excessive gore-- echoing the classic Hitchcock, and others of that era. Very promising behind -the- camera expertise puts the viewer in the house with the weekend visitors. A great winter evening popcorn-munching thriller!



2. This movie has mediocre acting and at times boring script. It relies more on the was it's filmed for the "scareyness" than on effects and gore. I will say I do like how it was filmed where it made you feel at times you were right in the house with the characters. When the killing begins, the movie moves fast and ends quick. Not a horrible film, but could have been better. Type of film to watch when you just wanna see a b-type low budget flick.



3. This movie was boring and VERY slow moving, the plot was terrible and the acting stunk. It was of low budget homemade quality. The camera was shakey, the lighting was anything but good, and we went 45 minutes into the movie without one single kill. It's the kind of movie where the voices are low, then the music and bass are REALLY loud. I HATE THAT!!! The gore factor was non existent and the scare wasn't there. I'd say avoid this one at all cost!