1 comments about Dot & Spot's Magical Christmas Adventure.

1. I bought this video when my son was 3 years old, during a promotional sale at TRU. It was cheap, and I thought it would be fun for him to watch during Christmas. Little did I know that 3 years later, it would still be his absolute favorite Christmas video! My 3 year old daughter loves it too.
   
   The story is about a family who moves to the wilderness during Christmastime, because their father takes a job as a forest ranger. They've moved from a big city, so the opening song is sort of the kid version of the "Green Acres" theme song. They adopt two puppies, Dot and Spot, to be rescue dogs. The puppies talk to one another, but of course the adults only hear dog sounds, like barking and whimpering. The puppies comment at one point, "Why do they always think we want to go out when we make a sound?" On Christmas Eve, the puppies are magically able to talk so the two kids can understand them. The video explains that all animals can be understood on Christmas Eve "if you just know how to listen." My kids are still trying to understand why our cats won't talk on Chrismtas Eve. But anyway....the kids (a young boy and a young girl) are tracking Santa on Christmas Eve. They see him through a telescope, but his sleigh crashes. They venture out into the wilderness with their rescue puppies to save Santa and repair his sleigh. Santa then takes them back home, and they wake up to Christmas morning with their family. I don't think they ever mention meeting Santa to their Mom and Dad, but I could be wrong. So basically, they then realize that living in their new environment isn't as bad as they thought it would be.
   
   It's a cute story, but I never thought it would be such a hit. I was actually just searching on Amazon for another Dot and Spot Adventure. Sadly, for my kids, there are no more. Although, I think they're perfectly content to watch this one 20 times in a row!

No comments about Yuletide Fun.

1 comments about Killpoint.

1. This is a dreadful movie; low production values, mediocre editing and turgid writing. Why did I buy it and enjoy it? It took place in my home town of Riverside, CA and a bunch of friends from my old karate club had parts as thugs in the movie. I doubt anyone who does not share my local interest would find this movie worthwhile.

No comments about Family Favorites.

No comments about U.S Space & Rocket Center W/Spacecamp.

1 comments about Hubble Space Telescope: Rescue In Space.

1. Journey into space on one of the most important and spectacular Space Shuttle missions ever, as the astronauts share their experiences on this critical mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. See the first dramatically improved deep space images from Hubble's newly repaird optics.

   A Must for your Space Video Library

   This high-quality NASA-produced video program will let you experience the exciting drama of mission STS-61. Starting with pre-flight preparation and a spectacular night launch, you'll join the astronauts in their extra-vehicular activity as they capture, repair, and release the Hubble Space Telescope.

   The views aboard this mission were among the best ever seen from space because the Shuttle entered a higher than normal orbit to capture the Hubble Space Telescope. See these views first-hand and hear the astronauts describe what it is like to work in space so far above our planet.

No comments about Sacred Songs - A Christmas Music Celebration.

No comments about A Norfin Noel.

No comments about Wall.

5 comments about Holiday Inn & Going My Way (2pc).

1. Going My Way is a wonderful movie. All the actors are great to watch. The story keeps your interest. I love listening to Bing
   Crosby sing. His voice is so easy to listen to.
   
   Holiday Inn is a wonderful entertaining movie. It's not only a musical, it has very funny parts in it. It's a wonderful Holiday or anytime movie. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire are fabulous actors.



2. 
   (GOING MY WAY reviewed as a single feature on videocassette.)
   
   We are in an entertainment age of rampant violence, language, and sexuality. On a recent Monday, I watched two tapes worth of HBO shows. I could actually feel my soul corroding from violence in the admittedly well acted THE SOPRANOS, very strong language in the beautifully designed DEADWOOD, and sex scenes with full nudity in the new BIG LOVE. They make me want to cancel my subscription to HBO and go back to bygone Hollywood on Turner Classic Movies.
   
   Producer/director/co-writer Leo McCarey's GOING MY WAY (1944) won a whopping seven Oscars the same year as such powerhouses as DOUBLE INDEMNITY, LAURA, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, and SINCE YOU WENT AWAY. It is a sweet and likeable movie. Not great art, but very pleasant and soul-restoring. We have Oscar winners Bing Crosby as progressive young Father O'Malley and Barry Fitzgerald as the aging conservative Father Fitzgibbon interacting at venerable St. Dominick's.
   
   GOING MY WAY runs an overlong 126 minutes and is constructed as a series of interacting plot strands. G-rated juvenile delinquents become members of the church choir and (off-screen) go with Father O'Malley to a baseball game. They later sing a song for Rise Stevens (of the Metropolitan Opera) as Genevieve Linden. Father O'Malley was the first person to praise Genevieve, who in turn gives encouragement to the boys, who subsequently sing the lovely and Oscar-winning "Swinging on a Star."
   
   Fitzgerald's Father Fitzgibbon is an endearing character who has a bottle of whiskey hilariously hidden inside a bookcase music box that plays "Toora, Loora, Loora" all the time. The same lovely, sentimental song figures prominently in the very poignant final scene. Watch Father Fitzgibbon's expression when he realizes he has eaten a stolen turkey (by two of the boys) at Thanksgiving. And watch him play golf with Father O'Malley and mistakenly, happily think he has gotten a really good score.
   
   Then there is Carol (pretty Jean Heather), a runaway teenager who eventually marries a World War Two (1944 movie) soldier named Ted, whose father (Gene Lockhart) holds the mortgage on St. Dominick's. Lockhart does something nice with that mortage at Christmas time in the final reel. Ted asks dad to "look after Carol while [he is] away. She'll grow on you." On the sidelines is Frank McHugh, always fun, as Father O'Dowd.
   
   I like GOING MY WAY quite a lot. It is very sentimental, but (to rewrite the final line of Preston Sturges' great 1941 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS) there is a lot to be said for sentimentality and old-fashioned virtues in our frenzied and cynical computer age.



3. 
   Going My Way deservedly won 7 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Original Story. It is such a warm story written and directed by Leo McCarey (who also wrote Love Affair, Bells of St. Mary's and An Affair to Remember as well as directed the latter two).
   
   The movie's warmth owed much to the wonderful performance of Barry Fitzgerald (Best Actor in a Supporting Role), as the lovable and respectable elderly Father Fitzgibbon, despite his old school of strict rules and hardships expected of a clergyman. And Bing Crosby(Best Actor), as Father O'Malley, came to rescue the old church with utmost regard of Father Fitzgibbon's delicate feeling. Bing Crosby's portrayal of a sensible, upright Father who enjoyed a close relationship with the younger generation was most impressive. The joyful and buoyant Father O'Dowd (Frank McHugh) provided the optimistic mood often needed to uplift the morale of the other two Fathers. The personal sacrifice made by Fitzgibbon, his longing to see his mother far away, the subplots of a radiant contralto of Metropolitan Opera Association (Rise Stevens) with a gold heart, the father and son money lenders, a naïve run away 18-year old (Jean Heather) all make a wonderful story.
   
   In addition, there is much good music performed by Bing Crosby (Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ra, Silent Night, Swinging on a star - Best Original Music) and Rise Stevens (Ave Maria, Habanera of Carmen)with the Robert Mitchell Boychoir. There is just a right balance between the good Christmas spirit and delightful Christmas music. It leaves you adoring the kindness and integrity of these good characters while humming the beautful tones.
   
   For a different kind of light and highly entertaining holiday treat, Holiday Inn must be the one. White Christmas sung by Bing Crosby, first solo followed by duet with Marjorie Reynolds, in the first half hour of the movie alone is a classic number not to be missed. However, the movie offers much more than meets the eye.
   
   The idea of having a holiday inn which opened for 15 holidays throughout the year is ingenious. In no more natural setting can numbers be inserted at Christmas, Lincoln's birthday, Valentine's Day, Washington's birthday, Easter Parade, Independence Day as in this movie. The elegant and radiant Marjorie Reynolds sang beautifully with Bing Crosby and danced gracefully with Fred Astaire, so was Virginia Dale. Added to it the lively performance of the trio's agent (Walter Abel) and Bing Crosby's cook Mamie(Louise Beavers) with two cute child actors. This is such a warm and delightful holiday movie that one can enjoy all 100 minutes of singing and dancing.



4. Conceived from an idea by composer Irving Berlin, Mark Sandrich's "Holiday Inn" is a humorous, festive Crosby/Astaire musical that finds both performers in tip-top, toe-tapping form. Famous for introducing "White Christmas," the best-selling single of all time and an instant favorite with troops overseas, "Inn" is consistently tuneful and entertaining with a sublime Berlin score that covers not just Christmas, but all major holidays. Watch for the July 4th rave-up "Let's Say It With Firecrackers," one of many musical highlights.



5. Watching "Going My Way" was a holiday tradition for my husband. When we lost our old VHS copy to a flooded basement, I thought it was over. But I was able to order the DVD from you on 12/17 and have it in time for Christmas. Thanks for the great service.