Taylor Swift last year donated a lot of money to her old school Henderson High School and they did not forget her kind act. In fact, they announced that they will be naming their auditorium after her. The name of it will be officially changed next month.

How awesome is that for her?! But then again, she is a superstar around the world and I suppose that it will look good for them as well. I wonder if they will throw a party for her new album when it comes out? That would be really sweet of them to do that.

What do you think about this? Do you think that Taylor should be honored or not by her old school anymore than any other former student? I think that it is nice that she is, but I wonder about the other people who have donated money to them? But never less, we all should be happy for Taylor Swift. Don’t forget to see her official track list to see what will be on her new album!

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image source-Our Country Road

The new movie The Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole is a family film based on the book series called Guardians of Ga’Hoole. The movie is about two brother owls who allow a rift to be driven between them over believing the unseen. Over time, they allow their rift to further drive them apart by their disagreement over picking sides when they are kidnapped.

The movie in itself had a good message about believing in the unseen on blind faith. For example, the two main characters, Soren and Kludd, fight over that train of thought when their father tells them that just because you cannot see something, that does not mean it isn’t real or that you cannot believe it’s real. Many messages like that fall thoughout the movie, and I think that this lesson should be taught more in movies like this.

For the characters, I liked many of them. But the movie had more villains than I think a children’s movie should have. I’d say about half of the entire cast could be considered bad, and the other half of the cast would be considered the heroes.  A lot of time in the movie is spent on focusing on the villains, and I’m not sure that’s something young kids should see so much of. I think that might be seen as one of the downfalls in the film, but the goods news is that the good characters do get a good amount of screen time, as well. I have to say that my favorite character was the cute the baby owl named Eglantine, who is the sister to Soren and Kludd. You will find yourself liking her and a slew of other likeable characters.

I would call this movie a darker kid’s movie, and at times, you may find it depressing. I feel that the movie had too much action and some upsetting scenes in it. Even as an adult, I found myself upset by some of these events, and I think that this movie is could have been better if it did not have so much drama or fighting scenes. A little drama can go a long way, and if they chose selectively that, it would have come out better with less needless action. That was my only main issue with Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole as a whole.  Despite that, it has plenty of good elements to it and can be taken as a pretty decent film.

The animation and 3D effects were amazing. I will admit that I am not much a fan of 3D, but at least with this movie the effects turned out unbelievable. Granted, the effects do not really make the movie nor are they a good enough reason to see a movie. Yet this was one movie where the effects awed me, and that is rare for any 3D or special effects to do. I really loved it when the owls flew; I found that was the best part of the effects. Of course, the movie is being shown in regular animation, as well, for those who do not wish to see the movie in 3D. But I do recommend that you should try to see it in 3D, just for the amazing experience that it brings when watching this film.

As for the age group that this movie should be targeted for, I think that 7 years and older would be the best age group. I think that the older the kids are, the better this film will be for them. The reason why I am giving this recommendation is the simple fact that the movie can be depressing and has some darker elements in it. Some of the scenes in it may frighten young children, so precautions should be taken before allowing kids younger than 7 who want to see this movie.

I liked the movie for the most part. Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole was a fairly family friendly movie, and that it did please me in a lot of ways. They could have gone without some of the drama that seemed needless for a solid plot like this one. Still, I was not disappointed, and I think that most older kids would enjoy the film. If I was to rate the movie 1 out of 10–with 10 being the highest–I would rate it as a 6. Not bad, but not the best film ever made by the long shot. But to give you a short answer for a long question:  yes I would see it again.

I was first introduced to Norman PhartEphant at last year’s Toy Fair, where Ben Kachoo and Harry Hiccers were both in prototype mode.  I was immediately intrigued by Norman and his friends, and while Fierce Fun Toys were touting the books, it would not be until I actually read them that I could tell you that the match of book and stuffed animal works well.

My two boys love all three of the animals, and one picked Ben and the other Harry as their favorites, so Norman is in good company.  They even get a smile from our little baby girl.  Norman and his friends Ben and Harry have great sounds that are fun and amusing, but that is only part of the story.  These three animals have personality to go along with their humorous sounds and quality construction to make sure they will be around a long time for you to enjoy them.  I am really impressed with how these animals are put together and the attention to detail in them.  Norman’s ears are just the softest material, and they have nice quality eyes, which is hard to find on a stuffed animal these days.  The trunk for Norman is also stuffed perfectly, and the stiched rings around the trunk also show that extra mile.  The feet have a great bean bag feel, and, honestly, Norman is just the softest.  Everywhere you see a stich, it is done correctly–the detail is wonderful.

I had the opportunity to read the Norman PhartEphant First New Day book as well as the galley of Ben KaChoo Sink or Swim.  Norman tells us all about his fart problems before meeting up with Ty the female tiger who lets Norman in on a little secret as well.  The nice thing about these books is that they not only promote diversity but also let children out there know that some things that they do that they might be embarrassed about, other children have to deal with as well.  They are not alone.   

In Ben KaChoo Sink or Swim we find out that the hippos and crocodiles do not really get along.  That is, until Ben and Arrow get around to talking due to a super Ben KaChoo sneeze.  Again we learn about diversity and that people (animals) are not so different, after all.  As a parent, I liked the message that these books brought, as well as the great artwork. My kids of 4 and 6 both gave them thumbs up as well.  No wonder they are award winners.  These books also make the stuff animals come alive for the kids.  They can use their imagination as well as having a bit of a background from the books to play with these toys.  The same materials and construction quality in Norman is seen in Ben and Harry. 

In the day and age of bells, flashing lights, and no morals, Fierce Fun Toys add just the right amount of technology to a toy to keep it fun yet stimulate a child’s imagination while teaching them a thing or two about diversity.  The fact that they are putting out a high quality product is icing on the cake.  A must buy for the kids, and we will also be picking up a Ben KaChoo for our favorite allergist as well.

Embracing silly & educational: Norman PhartEphant® is a 10- inch plush elephant that emits 1 of 8 ‘phart’ different sounds with a squeeze of his tail & a story promoting cultural diversity, and friendship. Fierce Fun Toys, LLC is a toy company that combines plush animal toys with silly sounds and books that move beyond silly, into promoting a positive message of cultural diversity, inclusion, geography and friendship. These products are not the norm, particularly when it comes to the animals’ sounds; ‘pharts’, sneezes and hiccups. The Fierce Fun Toys, LLC products being presented at ASTRA will include the adorable, cuddly and hilarious:

Norman PhartEphant – Norman is an African elephant that was adopted by a U.S. zoo but the change in diet has not gone well, causing a gassy result. 

Ben Kachoo - Ben is a hippo with allergies, he also lives in the zoo’s swamp. This is a combination creating explosive results.

Harry Hiccers - Harry is a koala with an appetite that goes beyond Eucalyptus, resulting in hiccups.

Selena Gomez was on at CNN talking about Unicef, which she recently designed a shirt for in order to support their work. You can see the video below. We also have a quote from Selena about the final season of her show. Here is what she had to say.

There’s a lot more magic and a lot more love stories. I’m currently in the middle of shooting season four, but it’s really hard. I think it’s going to be extremely emotional. I don’t think they’re going to have a live audience taping on the last episode upon my..

..request because I’m going to be a wreck. It’s going to be really hard. Every day I go on set and I see these people that I’ve been with for the past four years, and it really breaks my heart. It’s been so much fun and it’s been my high school..

..in a way. So it’s gonna be really hard, but it’s been great. ..I keep saying every day that I’m not ready [but] I think when the last episode hits, we’re going to be like, ‘It’s time

She seems pretty torn up about this being the final season. This makes me sad for her and her cast mates. The show is doing so well and why would they want to cut that off? I guess it is better to end on a high note, but still it seems too soon.

What do you think of what she had to say at CNN and about her show? Do you think Selena will find another TV show to be on or not? I really have no clue on what she will focus on after the show ends for good.

source-Ocean Up

The Netherlands’ based magazine Hitkrant has Demi Lovato as their cover girl! You can see that Demi looks lovely on the cover in a chic black dress and looks delighted to be their cover girl. I wonder what they talked about in the interview?

Recently, Demi has stated that she wants to do more serious acting, and I wonder if that was one of the topics? I think that she should do this more tastefully than what her new friend Miley did. Demi has a lot of talent and can bring a lot to the table, but she shouldn’t try to switch her fan base as quick as some people have. I know that she also said during our interview that she wanted to do at least one more season of Sonny With A Chance.

What do you think of the cover? I noticed that she wears a lot of black, and that makes me wonder if she isn’t a tiny bit goth? What do you guys think?

source-Disney Info Net

We have brought you promo photos and even more promo photos from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part one film. Yet they have just released the newest trailer to go along side of it and we have it to share with you! You will find it at the bottom of this post.

I have to say that it looks like it will be filled with drama! This trailer really showed off some exciting scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. I think that this may end up being their biggest film as of yet, since this is the first part of the final movie.

What do you think about the trailer? Excited that it will be shown in 3D? I know that I am excited about that, I think that this will be one movie that is an exception to my regular opinion about 3D movies. But that could be due to the fact that I am such a huge Harry Potter fan.

Popstar Katy Perry has made a name for herself with her rather odd style in music and fashion, but this time she is in the headlines for something much different that her music. She filmed a small skit with Elmo for the New Year’s episode of Sesame Street with a child friendly version of her song Hot n Cold about playtime. Yet when parents saw the clip, they created a backlash not about Katy’s music, but about her fashion. You can see the video at the bottom of this post, if you wish to see the big deal.

While what Katy Perry wore may not be the most Sesame Street friendly, we should take a look at the likes of a few younger stars who have a large tween following. I will not name names, but you can guess whom I mean. I just think that if we will be making a big deal about how a typical female singer dresses, we should also complain about how the teen ones dress as well. Like bodysuites, not exactly what young kids should think as “cool“.

What do you think about Sesame Street banning a certain clip off their show? I think that it might backfire for them and work out even better for Katy. Though I will say that she could of worn something a little more family friendly for this show at least.

source-JSYK

Warner Brothers has been hard at work with releasing photos from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in a timely manner. This means that we have even more photos to share with you. And if I have to say that the more photos that they release, the more excited I become!

It looks like that will not be skimping on the special effects and that could only mean that the final films will be amazing! I cannot wait for November 19th already. I wish that they would release more teaser videos from it, though. That would really help build the buzz. Here is the official synopsis for part 1.

Part 1 begins as Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction—the Horcruxes. On their own, without the guidance of their professors or the protection of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever. But there are Dark Forces in their midst that threaten to tear them apart.

Meanwhile, the wizarding world has become a dangerous place for all enemies of the Dark Lord. The long-feared war has begun and Voldemort’s Death Eaters seize control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting anyone who might oppose them. But the one prize they still seek is the one most valuable to Voldemort: Harry Potter. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive.

Harry’s only hope is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. But as he searches for clues, he uncovers an old and almost forgotten tale—the legend of the Deathly Hallows. And if the legend turns out to be true, it could give Voldemort the ultimate power he seeks.

Little does Harry know that his future has already been decided by his past when, on that fateful day, he became “the Boy Who Lived.” No longer just a boy, Harry Potter is drawing ever closer to the task for which he has been preparing since the day he first stepped into Hogwarts: the ultimate battle with Voldemort.

What do you think of the trailer and previous promo photos? Are you planning to see it when it comes out? Should J.K. Rowling write more books about Harry Potter?

source-Collider

Taylor Swift is preparing for her October 25th release. Her hit single Mine of course is included on Speak Now. I have to say that they have packed on a lot of songs on one album, which is good for her fans. Here is the official track list for Taylor’s album.

1. Mine
2. Sparks Fly
3. Back to December
4. Speak Now
5. Dear John
6. Mean
7. The Story of Us
8. Never Grow Up
9. Enchanted
10. Better Than Revenge
11. Innocent
12. Haunted
13. Last Kiss
14. Long Live

What do you think of the song titles? I wonder if the Better Than Revenge track will be about a certain Jonas Brother? That title can definitely lead to you wondering what she meant by that. I think that this album really will sell either as well as thought or maybe even better! Do you plan to buy the album when it comes out? I do wish that Taylor would have a double CD/DVD combo coming out as an additional edition.

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Selena Gomez has done a interview with a famous celebrity blogger and MTV, yet she made another interview with The Hood radio show and we have the video and photos from this past one. You can find the video and the photos at the bottom of this post.

I have to say that she has been really busy with all of these interviews and her album coming out. But as always, she always does well and keeps the interviews interesting. I think that she treats each one equally and I have such respect for her because of that.

What do you think of the photos and of the interview? Do you think that Selena held to her own, like she usually does? I do, I just hope that she can take a media interview break for a while. All of this hard work does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon for her. I guess that is good for her career, but Selena will also soon be promoting her upcoming movies and TV show again. What do you guys think?

source-Ocean Up