Pee-wee's Playhouse comes to DVD and Blu-ray!

I was a kid of the 80's - early 90's. Every Saturday morning, I'd get up, grab my bowl of technicolor cereal and plop down in front of our living room TV (which still had knobs, actually!) and watch Pee-wee's Playhouse.




I loved screaming the Secret Word... all day. Much to my parents' chagrin. I thought Miss Yvonne was the prettiest woman on TV (sorry, Murphy Brown). I wanted my very own big blue talking chair. Life was good.

Thanks to my friends at Shout! Factory, Pee-wee showed up in my mailbox for review as they celebrate the first time the series is on DVD (Seasons 1 and 2, available at Wal-Mart) and Blu-ray (Complete Series), which both hit the shelves on October 21st, 2014. I got the DVD version. It took some convincing at first, but TV Boy agreed to let me watch it... and he is hooked. Neither of the Pee-wee movies appealed to him (Big Top Pee-wee is on Netflix right now!), but he is in love with Pee-wee's Playhouse. My 80's mom heart swells with pride!

In fact, he is so hooked on Pee-wee, TV Boy built Pee-wee's Playhouse in Minecraft. No lie. With about a thousand villager "Pee-wee's". Yeah, this is serious.

There were a few things I remembered well from the show:

©Shout! Factory.

• Pterri being afraid of the thunder and hiding under the bed
• Pee-wee's awesome scooter
• Shouting the Secret Word
• Jambi's "Mecha lecha hi, mecha hiney ho!"
• The Penny cartoons
• That the King of Cartoons had an announcer for the first season, Dixie
• That Pee-wee had a pretty obvious crush on Miss Yvonne
• Captain Carl was played by Phil Hartman
• Pee-wee had the coolest phone EVER
• Randy was a jerk
• Pee-wee married a fruit salad, like, for real. Because he loved it so much.

However, there were definitely a few things that slipped my mind, or that my young, naive self had no idea about:

This is a literal screen-shot... took a pic of the TV with my phone.

Aw, Reba! We love you! ©Shout! Factory.

• Randy smoked in an episode! The message was fantastic, but holy cow can you imagine trying to get that past parents today?
• Cowboy Curtis was actually Laurence Fishburne (billed as Larry, even)! And he was only in his mid-20's! How did I forget that?! Fishburne has some fantastic things to say about the cast and crew in the DVD special features (also available on the Blu-ray set).
• Reba the Mail Lady (S. Epatha Merkerson) went on to be on Law & Order for pretty much ever.
• The theme song is sung by Cyndi Lauper! I didn't know this until watching the special features, but wow! It doesn't even sound like her. 
• The music for the show was done by Mark Mothersbaugh from DEVO, like all other great kids' shows of that era. Of course. The man is a legend. 
• 
  

Aw look, little Laurence Fishburne! ©Shout! Factory.

I'm happy to have such an influential piece of my childhood in my home that I can pop on whenever I want to. Especially since TV Boy looks at me sideways when I tell him about the plight that was having to wake up at a specific time to watch my favorite shows and how you could only record them if you had set up your VCR and had room on the tape-over tape that lived in it. I'm older than DVR, and that blows the boy's mind. We had it rough, you guys. ROUGH.

You can pre-order the Blu-ray set on Amazon!

*Disclosure: I received a copy of the Seasons 1 and 2 DVD for review purposes. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

Slugterra - Heroes of the Underground on DVD

Check out the contents of the newest Slugterra DVD on the Kids' Cartoons page at About.com!

Image © Shout! Factory.

REVIEW: The Pirate Fairy - with GIVEAWAY!

I FINALLY get to talk about this movie! Seriously, I have been sitting on this for over a month now and it has been killing me! But it's here, it's finally here, and I can spill the beans!

Me at DisneyToon Studios for The Pirate Fairy premiere!

The Pirate Fairy releases on Blu-ray combo pack next week. I received my review copy in the nick of time to post this review for my deadline today--I got it yesterday. Convincing TV Boy to watch it with me took some doing, thanks to the glittery fairy wings on the box, but once the sword fighting happened, he gave in and watched it with me. He also noticed Crocky and made sure he had a front row seat for the show!

I personally loved this movie. I didn't think I would. I've never seen a fairy movie before (insert your gasping here!) and I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. But walking out of that theatre, I was in love. And I seriously want to cosplay as Zarina sometime. She's rad! Besides, I already have the hair color down... now if only I had her figure! Think I can wish on a star for it?

Image © DisneyToon Studios.

Since this was a straight-to-DVD film, it fell into my About.com writing realm, so my full review is up over at the Kids' Cartoons page. More fun stuff coming soon over there too... wink wink! Watch for that later this week!

Image © DisneyToon Studios.

And of course, what would a video review be without a GIVEAWAY! That's right, my lovely friends at Disney are offering up a copy of the film for one of my fabulous readers. You can win it before you can buy it! Check out the Rafflecopter widget below to enter! The giveaway will run until April 1st, when the film releases (no foolin' here!). Be sure to enter and share with your friends! UPDATE: Also be sure to check out the linky at the bottom for even MORE chances to win!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Disclosure: I received a trip to Los Angeles and a review copy to cover the release of the film. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

The Flintstone Kids: Rockin' in Bedrock on DVD

Remember the days of the mid-1980's when you'd get up, get your bowl of Pac Man cereal, and lay down on your belly on the floor in front of your television that still had knobs on it to catch your favorite Saturday morning cartoon? (Did I just make you feel REALLY old if you do?)

Image © Warner Home Entertainment.

Now you can relive those days with your kids with The Flintstone Kids: Rockin' in Bedrock on DVD. Check out more about the DVD over at my About.com page! Then pop back here and tell me in the comments what your favorite '80s cartoon was. And did you see the post on The TV Mom facebook page that they are making a real life Jem and the Holograms movie??? Who is excited about that?

REVIEW: Frozen on Blu-Ray Combo Pack

If you haven't figured it out by now in the game here at TheTVMom.com, Frozen has quickly become my favorite Disney movie. Sorry Emperor's New Groove, scootch over! I think this is due in part to the new connection I have with the movie, having had all the neat experiences at Disney Animation Studios in February. It's my first major blogger junket, so it'll definitely have a special place in my heart always.

Some of my pictures from Disney Animation Studios!

It's funny thinking back to last December when I pretty literally dragged TV Boy to the movie theatre to see it with me. About fifteen seconds into the actual movie itself, he looked at me with his big brown eyes and said "They're singing. I don't like it." He proceeded to pick THE MOST inconvenient time in the movie to use the bathroom, which at four and a half he can't quite do alone, and I missed the "Let It Go"sequence entirely. That's right... as the mountain came up on the screen and by the first notes of the song, we were running down the aisle to the bathroom. We walked back in only to see Anna on her horse trudging through the snow. Yeah. Thanks, kiddo. (I have made up for it and then some thanks to an inexplicable need to belt out "Let It Go" at the top of my lungs, Broadway style, at least once a day since I got back from L.A. That'll teach the kid to have to pee!) But I digress.

"Hey mommy, I have to go potty!" (Image ©Disney Animation)

Indeed, even TV Boy has warmed up to Frozen (irony!) having the Blu-ray around in the house. Plus, seeing Olaf with Mommy's voice has made him love that adorable snowman even more than hearing him say "watch out for my butt!", a line that has earned high honors by my discernable little critic.

Image © Disney Animation Studios.

The Blu-ray doesn't have nearly as many special features as I was hoping it would. A handful of deleted scenes (which were definitely deleted for a reason), four versions of the "Let It Go" music video (in several languages), a quick featurette with Directors Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck as they talk about the long lead up to making Frozen (Walt Disney wanted to make the Snow Queen version during his lifetime and there are several concepts in the archives from his exploration of the possibility), and the adorable musical number featuring Josh Gad and Jonathan Groff along with much of the production company about "The Making of Frozen" (preview below).


Also included is the the theatrical short "Get A Horse!", which I wish I had gotten to see in 3D!

Cool movie poster we got as swag!

The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes the movie and features on a Blu-ray disc, a DVD, and a code to download a digital copy of the film, as well as add it to your Disney Movies Anywhere© app on your mobile device of choice. The film is rated PG (which I find odd for an animated film) and is available to purchase TODAY, March 18th.

Image ©Disney Home Entertainment

You can register to win a copy of Frozen on Blu-ray combo pack! Click here to enter! 

Disclosure: I was provided a free copy of the Blu-ray for review purposes as well as a trip to L.A. to cover the release of the Blu-ray. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information. 

REVIEW: Saving Mr. Banks on Blu-ray plus GIVEAWAY!

For all of you who are fans of Mary Poppins or anyone who is a "Dizgeek" or history buff, Saving Mr. Banks is a must-see film. For those who haven't yet seen it, travel back in time to Walt Disney Studios, where Walt (played by Tom Hanks) is determined to get the production rights to P.L. Travers' (played by Emma Thompson) story of Mary Poppins.

Hanks and Thompson as Disney and Travers. Image © Disney

Mrs. Travers is none too persuaded to let go of her precious characters so easily, and the addition of songs written by the Sherman Brothers (played by BJ Novak and Jason Schwartzman) and animation has her ready to board a plane back to England.

Novak and Schwartzman as the Sherman Brothers. Image © Disney

Throughout the film, we are treated to an inside look at the life of P.L. Travers, and her attachment to her father, Travers Goff (played by Colin Farrell), who has a tragic alcohol addiction that is gradually killing him, and on whom her character of Mr. Banks is based.

Annie Rose Buckley as Ginty and Colin Farrell as Travers Goff. Image © Disney.

Mrs. Travers (who, after her father's death, drops her moniker "Ginty" and takes his first name as her surname) isn't keen on their portrayal of Mr. Banks as well as Mary Poppins herself being so lighthearted and charming. She insists on having all discussions about the film recorded--which, interestingly enough, I had the chance to listen to some of her original recordings while on my trip to L.A. back in February! More on that later this week!

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. Image © Disney.

Tom Hanks' portrayal of Walt Disney was flawless. Watching him, you really feel the weight of Disney's commitment to his films as well as his jovial personality. The attention to detail with the film is outstanding.

Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers. Image © Disney.

I also loved Emma Thompson as Pamela Travers. If anyone could play a haughty British woman, it's Emma Thompson! She manages to strike the perfect balance between pointed disgust with Disney's antics and nostalgic sadness as she remembers her childhood. Speaking of sadness, ladies make sure you have tissues at the ready! Many of my blogger friends and I discussed it as being one of those "ugly cry" movies. It's heartbreaking, and to get the audience to feel so deeply for someone as cold as P.L. Travers is portrayed is a triumph.

Behind the scenes on set. Image © Disney.

The special features included on the Blu-ray, while minimal, are also a little tear-jerking, but that could just be because I got to tour the very same studio lot that on which the film was made. That, and I'm a huge sap. The featurette "The Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins To The Present" takes viewers on a bit of the same tour, showing off the animator offices Disney designed himself to make sure they had the proper light, as well as several points of interest on the lot. It is led by Director John Lee Hancock and features a special appearance by Richard Sherman himself. There is also a fun short video of Mr. Sherman leading the cast and crew in a rousing rendition of "Let's Go Fly A Kite" on their final day of filming. The film is rated PG-13 and is available for purchase tomorrow on March 18th.

Image © Disney Home Entertainment

As a special treat, I've put together a little slideshow of my photos from the awesome D23 tour of the studios, featuring some of the places used in Saving Mr. Banks, as well as many of the locations discussed in the bonus featurette on the Blu-ray, led by our awesome tour guide and D23 Marketing Manager Jeffrey Epstein, seen in the second pic (thanks Jeffrey!). And, of course, I set it to "Let's Go Fly A Kite"!


Disney Studios Tour Feb 2014 by Slidely Slideshow
Finally, to close out my post, my friends at Disney Home Entertainment are providing a copy of Saving Mr. Banks on Blu-ray to give away to one of my lucky readers! Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter and be sure to check out the linky at the bottom for more chances to win from other bloggers on the trip! The contest will run until this Friday, March 21, at midnight. Please see the Giveaway T&C tab for more information.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




UPDATE: My friends at Disney just sent over these fun Saving Mr. Banks-inspired recipes! Enjoy!



Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the Blu-ray for review purposes, as well as a trip to L.A. to cover the release and relevant displays. Please see my Disclosure tab for more information.

Pinky, Elmyra & The Brain on DVD

After my whirlwind trip to LA earlier this month, I'm playing catch up on all of my DVD reviews. I have a huge pile to get through, and this one was on the top: Pinky, Elmyra & The Brain.

Image courtesy Warner Home Video.

Is it terrible that I didn't even know this existed? For as big of a fan as I was of Tiny Toons and Animaniacs, I had never even heard of this series. This could be because I was in high school before it even existed and cartoons weren't entirely on my radar at that point, or it could be due to the fact it only aired for one season. However, now I know about it and it's hilarious, just as one would expect from the brains that brought you the other Warner Brothers great toons. Plus, it features some of my favorite voice actors (two of whom I got to actually interview last year!). You can't beat it!

Read more about the series and the DVD over at the Kids' Cartoons page on About.com!

The Jungle Book on Blu-ray - A look at the Special Features!

While I was in Los Angeles, Disney released the classic animated feature The Jungle Book on Blu-ray Diamond Edition. While the movie is impressively remastered for today's HDTVs, there is also a plethora of special feature fun included! If you're a behind-the-scenes geek like I am, you will be head over heels in love with this disc!

Image courtesy Disney Home Entertainment.

Pop over to the Kids' Cartoons page at About.com to see more about these special features! 

And don't forget to click on my interview with Floyd Norman that is linked the article! When I was touring the Disney Animation Studios last week, they have their own courtyard of fame complete with bronze handprints. And who did I happen upon?

Image copyright (c) 2014 TheTVMom.com.

Yeah, how cool is THAT? It was amazing to see someone I've interviewed with their name and handprints in bronze on the Disney lot! I put my hands up there too after I took the picture. It was probably the closest I'll get to shaking Mr. Norman's hand personally, haha!

I know you're also itching for more photos and information from my trip to L.A. last week, and I promise, they're coming soon! In fact, the entire month of March will be "TV Mom's L.A. Trip" month here at TheTVMom.com! So much to share with you all! Stay tuned!

My Little Pony Classic Movie Collection on DVD

If you were a kid in the early 2000's (so, you'd be in your early twenties right now and making me feel horribly old) or you had a daughter who was, you might remember this specific incarnation of My Little Pony. They came before guys fell in love with ponies. They came before ponies were "cool". But they're back and they're on DVD!

Image courtesy Shout! Factory.

Check out my review of the DVD over at the Kids' Cartoons page at About.com, and enjoy these clips!

It's a Super Mickey Mouse Party!

Just in time for the holidays, we were given the opportunity to have a little family viewing party for the new DVD, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Super Adventure!

Image courtesy Disney.

We were sent a fun party kit, although thankfully this time it didn't involve me making anything (see the Popcorn fiasco from the Jake and the Never Land Pirates party post!)

First, we hung the new Mickey Mouse glove balloon ornament on our tree.

Mickey and the gang fit right in! Can you spot the Millennium Falcon?

Then we donned the Mickey Mouse santa hat.
(Not pictured, TV Mom in said hat. I don't have makeup on today!)

TV Boy grabbed his Mickey crayons to color a picture of Mickey in his new
Mickey coloring book. Can you tell we're working on proper writing instrument holding?
And that TV Boy hasn't picked a dominant hand yet?

TV Boy's coloring creation. He's a minimalist I guess.

Loyal fuzzy friend Doggie got a chance with the santa hat.
Trust me, he still looks better than I do.

A fun pack of trading cards (super sized!) comes with the DVD!

It included a fun lenticular card! I tried really hard to get a good picture of this
because it's really neat in person. Cameras don't do well with lenticular things.

"Yoink! Those are mine!"

Cool comic book beginning!

Here we go! (TV Dog is not nearly as excited about participating.)

Moving in to get a closer look at the most exciting part of the episode!

Check out my review of the DVD over at the Kids' Cartoons page! Thanks to my friends at Click Communications for letting us have this super holiday party! Your kids can join in the fun too with this Super printable fun pack!

Merry Super Christmas from the TV Household!

Holiday Gift Idea for a Disney Princess Fan!

Do you have a little girl running around your house in princess dresses? Are you a mom who secretly wishes that princess dress came in grown-up sizes because you love Disney Princesses too? For this holiday season, perhaps you should pick up the new Blu-ray combo pack from Disney Home Entertainment featuring two Little Mermaid movies that were originally direct-to-video releases: The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning and The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea.

Image courtesy Disney Home Entertainment.

Now you can find out not only what happened to Ariel's mom (what is UP with Disney killing off parents? I mean, seriously!), and you can also find out what kind of mother Ariel herself is (hint: she makes mistakes too, and I'm sure if she had the internet in her palace, she'd be seeking out advice from mommy blogs galore). Plus there are fun bonus features, including a classic Disney animated short! Check out these fun clips! Also, hop over to About.com to check out my review!

    

Never Land Rescue Pirate Party!

In celebration of the new full-length Jake and the Never Land Pirates: Never Land Rescue DVD, the TV Household was given the opportunity to have a Pirate Party!

We were sent this cute little Pirate Party Kit, complete with everything needed to have a super fun viewing party. Okay, so I made the popcorn myself... more on that in a moment... and TV Boy added the "bloons" to the treasure chest from the tokens he nabbed from one of the TV Grandparents' houses (they have a slot machine in their basement).

TV Dad will attest that I can only cook certain things... popcorn, apparently, is not one of them. FAIL.

Radar, one of the TV Cats (he's actually specifically TV Boy's cat), thought the box that the kit came in was for him. It's the "if I fits, I sits" mentality.

I thought he should look more... participatory. He, however, was not amused with my idea.

TV Boy is all pirate-d up and ready to watch the movie! Notice his pirate tattoos (not real, don't worry TV Grandmas!) and his new Sword of Destiny (which comes with the DVD!).

I put on a tattoo too (say THAT five times fast!). TV Boy insisted I put with my real one, which is his first initial in Binary around an 8-bit heart, for those who are wondering what the heck I have on my arm. I'm a huge geek, remember. However, I apparently am allergic to temporary tattoos, so I quickly removed mine. Real tats are surprisingly less painful and irritating to me. Go figure.

Let the movie begin!

Instead of burnt popcorn, I opted for salad. Grew those tomatoes in our own backyard! Thankfully, I didn't feel too hippie-ish, Izzy has a salad in the opening scene in the movie. Boom. Pirate food.

Grow, Forever Tree, grow! And this was my epiphany of why we were sent a tree growing kit in our Pirate Party materials. Now we can grow our own Forever Tree (an Evergreen... get it?)! Alright, I'll be honest... I'm about as good with growing things as I am cooking popcorn. The tree will be TV Dad's responsibility so I don't kill it. I've killed cacti. Plural. 

I'd like to give a special thanks to my friends at Click Communications for allowing the TV Household to have this awesome Pirate Party! Let's hope I don't kill the Forever Tree. I have a feeling that would be incredibly ironic.