My kids have been begging to see Open Season ever since the commercials for it started running, which was approximately six year ago, if memory serves. (Squirrels! Throwing nuts out of the trees! Several times during every show we watch!)

I’m not sure what to expect. The critics seem to either love it or hate it, with the scales tipping somewhat in favor of “Yeah, um, haven’t there been a whole lot of ‘animal uprising’ animated films lately, most of them better than this one?”

Newsarama’s Steve Fritz is willing to cut Open Season some slack:

It’s just what the world needs, right? Like there hasn’t been other films about semi-domesticated animals rediscovering “the wild.” Then again, there’s the old Hollywood saying if it’s been done before, and it was successful, do it to death.

Then there’s Open Season.

While I’m not saying you won’t see the ending coming long before you’re about a third into the film, that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to enjoy this trip.

But the St. Paul Pioneer Press’ Chris Hewitt isn’t feeling the love:

There’s a very pretty clearing in the woods, lit by an amber campfire, and the character design is distinctive, friendly and warm (the people may remind you a bit of the Wild Thornberrys). The music, including a couple of ballads and an uptempo rocker by Paul Westerberg, is also pretty.

But are the kids going to go for pretty campfires and piano ballads? When even I start thinking some woodland-creature flatulence would perk things up, I begin to have my doubts.

And the Austin Chronicle’s Josh Rosenblatt probably could’ve just said “formulaic” and stopped there, but instead wrote an entire review, concluding:

Open Season is little more than paint-by-numbers filmmaking, and it fails in the most important charge of any childrenââ¬â¢s movie: to transport its young and impressionable audience to a world where anything is possible, rather than to one where everythingââ¬â¢s been thought of already.

Dustin Putnam’s review at TheMovieBoy weighs in with a rather cautious thumbs-up:

“Open Season” is a pleasant time for the whole family, rarely pandering to little kids save for an inevitable fart joke and cooking up some fresh, slightly edgy humor for older audiences. Still, it is too slight for ‘animated classic’ status, and its only message outside of the value of friendship and working together is an anti-hunting stance that I applaud but some viewers might find heavy-handed. Mostly, though, the film remains breezy and good-natured. “Open Season” will never be confused for a deep movie, but it is a winsome piece of fluff that is easy on the eyes, the ears, and the heart.

So what have I learned? I know it’s a wilderness movie, not unlike a bunch of other animated wilderness movies, and it’s somewhat predictable, but not wholly unpalatable.

Also, there are apparently no fart jokes.

We may go see it, anyway. I try not to let flatulence (or the lack thereof) dictate my viewing choices. I’m mature like that.

The kids and I did finally watch Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo last weekend, and we all really enjoyed it. I’ve been reading about the movie for what feels like months, now, and I have seen it all. Some people are nitpicking it to pieces. Some people think it’s the greatest movie ever made. There are entire bulletin boards full of folks who apparently have nothing better to do with their time than to trace continuity goofs and point out issues from two seasons ago that may have somehow conflicted with what was shown in the movie.

Me? I’m a simple creature, in many ways. You want to know what I thought of this movie? I thought this movie was a ton of fun. And as I’ve already reported, Beast Boy does karaoke.

That bears repeating: Beast Boy does karaoke.

I just don’t think I can continue on with my life in a meaningful way without sharing this with the world. No need to thank me. Just click and enjoy:

So, you know, aside from the karaoke and aside from the pseudo-romantic Robin/Starfire subplot (which caused my children—in perfect unison—to declare “Ewwwwwww!” when a kiss was imminent), it was a pretty good film. But add in the karaoke and the grossing out of my kids, and you have a great film.

But don’t take my word for it; check out the reviews. Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo is currently rated at 7.1 on IMDB. It fares even better over at TV.com, where it’s enjoying a rating of 9.4. And if you have a grain of salt handy, check out the review over at Filmsy, which is mixed. (The reviewer seems to take issue with the campiness of it, to which I say, “Hello? Have you ever seen Teen Titans before? It’s all about the camp!”)

Get your hands on this movie if you’re a Titans fan and you missed it. We gave it three thumbs up and then watched it a second time. (Oh, alright; we watched the Beast Boy karaoke scene five or six times, I admit it.)

Ask any busy parent what she needs most, and she’ll likely tell you an extra hour or two in the day would be her first wish. (That is, of course, assuming that her wish isn’t to ditch her family and/or job and run off to the topics with the gardener.)

But according to a new study, most parents have already gotten that wish and then some… sort of. The data indicate that “the simultaneous use of several technologies is allowing families to cram in 43 hours worth of activity from one sunrise to the next.”

I’m not sure what to make of this, personally, as it seems to me that doing 43 hours worth of activities in 24 hours is patently impossible, much like trying to build a particular Lego vehicle a second time after the first incarnation was dismantled bit by bit throughout the entire house. But this is scientific data, and if ever there was proof of multi-tasking efficacy (”Sure, I can help you with your homework while I balance my checkbook”), this is it, I suppose.

Here’s where it gets interesting:

On average, families said they spent 3.6 hours per day using the Internet, 2.5 hours daily watching television and one hour on instant messaging. Smaller increments of time were spent playing video games, listening to the radio and to digital music players, reading newspapers and Internet blogs, as well as doing household chores.

In the United States, families on average owned about 12 technology and media-related devices. Across the survey 70 percent of respondents said technology allowed them to stay in touch with family members.

What did our generation fill the Internet and instant messaging time periods with, when we were young? Did we do fewer things at once, or just do wild and crazy things like, I don’t know, play games and talk with our families?

Nearly one-third of parents questioned said they use mobile phones to check in with their children throughout the day while a quarter of them claimed that instant messaging improved relationships with their offspring.

Oh, I instant message with my children all the time. I don’t know that it’s improving our relationships, though. I’ll say, “Set the table, please,” and my daughter will say something like “in a minute” or “I will when I’m done” and I’ll give her the Mother Look and say “You will do it this instant,” and then the table gets set. Maybe that’s not what they meant.

Real-time communication also means that children are more involved in family decision-making, from travel plans to major product purchases, bolstering the idea that advertisers need to figure out more closely who in the home could influence a particular shopping trip.

As much as I dislike most television commercials targeted towards our children, I have fond memories of similar advertising from when I was a kid. I’m not sure I believe that marketing to other family members is a new thing. Certainly the marketing world has long known that there is no greater force than a child pining for a certain toy.

Maybe it’s just that, now, they figure we’re all so busy on our computers, cell phones and other gadgets, maybe Junior’s whims will be met more often. Or they know that when Mom and Dad don’t give in (perhaps because they’re so exhausted from cramming 1.8 days worth of stuff into every day), the kids can just hop on the internet and do their own ordering. Hmmmmm.

I need to think on this some more. Just as soon as I finish eating my breakfast, checking my mail, packing lunches, doing laundry, and returning a few phone calls.

Do you know Maya & Miguel? My kids largely eschew PBS for Cartoon Network, these days, but they still love Maya & Miguel.

What’s not to love? From a kid’s perspective, you have a couple of very human, fallible kids (read: Maya makes a lot of bad decisions that come back to bite her, but it works out okay in the end) doing extremely kidlike things. From a parent’s perspective, you have a couple of very human, fallible kids (read: Maya makes a lot of bad decisions and hopefully seeing the consequences play out will teach your kids not to err in a similar fashion) doing kidlike things while teaching your children Spanish on the sly. Oh yeah.

(And this is not even mentioning the huge advantage of PBS over Cartoon Network, from a parental perspective: No pesky commercials.)

(I also won’t mention how you can get hard-to-find Maya & Miguel party supplies in Ty’s Party Palooza section, because that has nothing to do with this, really.) (Whoops.)

Yesterday was a landmark day for the series, as—in celebration of Deaf Awareness Week—a new, deaf friend was introduced in the debut of “Give Me a Little Sign.” From the show’s website:

Tito befriends a new boy, Marco, who is deaf. Marco starts to teach Tito some American Sign Language, and they decide to do a project together for the schoolââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å“Contraption Convention.ââ¬Â But when Tito makes some pronunciation mistakes in school, he decides he doesnââ¬â¢t want to do the project anymore (since it involves public speaking). Only when he sees how Marco persists in getting across what he wants to say ââ¬âœ even when people misunderstand him at first ââ¬âœ does he realize the value of practice and determination, and decides to go ahead with the project.

The New York Times has a great article (registration required) about the backstory on bringing this episode to life.

The logistics of animating sign language that was detailed and accurate enough to read on the screen stretched production of the episode to nine months, far longer than typical, and pushed costs up by 50 percent.

Worth it? Absolutely.

The idea for the show originated with Lupe Ontiveros, the actress who voices the role of the childrenââ¬â¢s grandmother, Abuela Elena. At a taping session Ms. Ontiveros, the mother of two grown sons who are hearing impaired, broached the idea of a sign-language-theme episode with Deborah Forte, creator of the show and the president of Scholastic Media, which produces the show for PBS.

“The deaf community is hungry to see itself in the most positive way,” said Ms. Ontiveros, who lives in Pico Rivera, Calif. “They are always proud to see themselves, their images, their role models, up there.”

Scholastic liked the idea for many reasons, Ms. Forte said. “It had someone who was hearing-impaired who was teaching another child a language. The whole message behind this is that no matter what language you are learning, it still takes practice.” She said that the show also promoted the need to plunge in to a new language without feeling embarrassed.

Did you miss it? Don’t worry; it’s rerunning every day this week. Pay close attention to the signing animation; it really is quite good. Thumbs up to Scholastic on this one!

I love a happy ending, so I can’t resist bringing you an update on a story I brought up last month.

Back then, I let you know that Cartoon Network was busy preparing for National Recess Week. You could sign up for free Recess Kits, and many events were planned for this past week (September 18th through the 22nd). It was all in honor of “rallying ’round the fourth R” and remembering the importance of adequate physical activity (yes, even at school!) for our kids.

So. How did it go?

Well, it sounds like a good time was had by all. I may still be boggling over people not understand that kids need breaks in their days to stretch and run around (heck, I need that, and it’s been a long time since I played freeze tag with anyone), but the Rescuing Recess campaign came, saw, and strengthened various school districts’ resolve to make sure our kids stay healthy.

From last week’s press release:

As part of the “National Recess Week” festivities, twelve mayors in key markets such as Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, and Minneapolis have each issued proclamations in support of Rescuing Recess and the week-long commemoration.

“The Rescuing Recess campaign celebrates recess as the fourth ‘R’ among school fundamentals: reading, writing, arithmetic and, as we now see it, recess. Each of these elements is essential to a child’s overall education and every child deserves to have the benefits of all four within his school day,” said Jim Samples, executive vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network. “After addressing two critical recess issues earlier this spring — state policies and grant funding for equipment — Rescuing Recess, through these ‘National Recess Week’ rallies, will now focus on recruiting parents and community members to serve as volunteer recess monitors, which help ensure that children have unstructured playtime throughout their day.”

At the end of the week, the much-anticipated episode of Codename: Kids Next Door, “Operation R.E.C.E.S.S.,” debuted on Friday night.

Some of the $1.3m Cartoon Network has pledged towards rescuing recess has already been disbursed to PTAs in 49 states, the Virgin Islands and the Department of Defense Schools in Europe. (See the full list of recipients here, if you’re so inclined.)

Anyone who’s ever spent a rainy day cooped up inside with a few kids knows that—surprise!—kids need time to run around or they become insufferable little beasties. I’m really thrilled that Cartoon Network is stepping up with the money to help local organizations keep doing what our kids need. Not the least of which because I’m certainly not letting my kids back into the house at the end of the day if they haven’t had recess.

Stop looking at me like that.

I wish that I could provide everything your average parent might require in terms of distraction, er, resources. But the truth is that I am just one person, and while I do talk an awful lot, you may need to check out, well, some other sites. Occasionally.

After you’re done reading me, of course.

And if you spend that time reading about parenting and related topics, it’s educational! And for the betterment of your kids! And so really not even time-squandering at all. (Please note: I am not an attorney. If you get caught surfing at work, please do not tell your boss I said it was okay.) So today I thought I’d point you at a few parenting conglomerates to save you the toil and trouble of finding these things yourself. With the time you save, you can read another couple of blogs. See how nicely that works out?

Have you been to iVillage lately? They’ve got enough stuff going on there to take up your whole day. (I see they’ve got Dr. McDreamy on the front page this morning… hubba hubba.) They’ve also got a whole section of blogs, with a wide range of topics.

Similarly, ClubMom recently expanded and jumped on the blog bandwagon. At least count, they had 43 different blogs from which to choose. If you’ve got the time, they’ve likely got something you’ll enjoy.

And last (but not least), as this press release explains, Nickelodeon/MTVN Kids have burst onto the online community-building scene with ParentsConnect. ParentsConnect—in addition to affording users the acronym of PC, which makes me giggle—differs from the other two sites in that it truly is geared towards parents, not just moms. So guys, have at it! Plus, future plans include all sorts of expansion into television. That could, possibly, bring us some sneak peeks or behind the scenes info on some of the hottest kids’ shows out there. At least I’m hoping that will be the case.

ParentsConnect has also embedded GoCityKids for easy access to everything you might want to know about navigating a city with your children. Most major cities are represented, so while it might not help you plan your family vacation to outer Siberia, it will help you navigate D.C. or Boston on your next trip.

Now. Go get yourself a fresh cup of coffee and try to look busy.

While most of the free world is scrambling this week to get their hands on the latest and greatest Elmo because Christmas will be simply lost without him, others realize that sometimes the best gifts aren’t toys. I don’t mind telling you that at my house, Santa always pops a couple of movies into the stockings. It’s always a matter of some speculation, in the days leading up to the big event, figuring out which movies will have caught Santa’s eye this particular year.

And Santa, he’s alright. He’s pretty good at picking things the kids will enjoy but that I can snuggle in with them and watch without bleeding eyeballs, myself. (I’m pretty sure it’s because I make him some really good chocolate chip cookies. Just sayin’.)

Last week Disney announced their upcoming geared-towards-holiday- giving DVD releases, and I’m taking notes. Here are a few that caught my eye:

CARS
The high-octane Disney/Pixar team announces the DVD debut of the smash hit #1 animated and #2 biggest film of the year, CARS, in time for the holidays — November 7! CARS is priced at U.S. $29.99 (SRP) and Canada $36.99 (SRP) from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

Oooooooh. I might need this. Er, umm, I mean, my kids would probably like to own this one.

THE LITTLE MERMAID SPECIAL EDITION
Walt Disney Home Entertainment proudly opens the vault to debut a spectacular new two-disc Special Edition of the most requested Disney DVD title ever, the Academy Award(R) winning (1990 Best Song and Best Original Score) The Little Mermaid. Available for the first time in seven years THE LITTLE MERMAID SPECIAL EDITION 2-disc DVD will be available October 3 for a limited time only for U.S. $29.99 (S.R.P.) and Canada $36.99 (S.R.P.).

We own The Little Mermaid on VHS. It was purchased during the last time it was available, which was right around when Disney started this whole seven year cycle of movie availability. My daughter may have worn out the tape, so it’s good to know the DVD is coming.

DISNEY DVD GAME WORLD
Walt Disney Home Entertainment announces an exciting, all-new innovation in Disney DVDs: DISNEY DVD GAME WORLD. Combining the traditional fun of classic board games with interactive and immersive 3-D game environments, these DVD games are perfect for families who want to enjoy time together. Inspired by the favorite characters from Disney’s most popular films and the worlds they live in, the DVD games feature multi-level boards and thousands of mini-games, trivia questions, and activities for up to 4 players. The perfect way for families to play together, Disney DVD Game World DISNEY PRINCESS EDITION and DISNEY DOGS EDITION both premiere on December 5. Each is available for $29.99 U.S. (S.R.P.), $36.99 Canada (S.R.P.).

I’m not entirely sure I understand what this is, although I do know that my kids absolutely love the Scene It? games, and I’m hoping this is similar. Plus, DISNEY DOGS EDITION? I’m so there. We haven’t stopped making Pluto jokes, yet, so this could be perfect.

None of these DVDs will giggle and vibrate, but I’m thinking that’s a good thing.

Did you see it? Did you watch Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo this weekend? Don’t tell me you missed it!! Actually, don’t tell me if you saw it, either—we recorded it but still haven’t watched it. I know. I’m a horrible mother, dangling the movie as a bribe over my children’s heads. I figure I can only milk it until the weekend, if that long. But we’re really looking forward to watching it just as soon as I stop being so mean.

Anyway, lots of lots of people who do not have mean mothers who make them do things like go to school and do homework and chores and attend practices and games and such did watch it. And the verdict on the streets? It’s good, baby. Lots of classic Titans’ drama with new twists thrown in as well. (Warning: Do not start reading those bulletin boards unless you are prepared to be a little frightened by how seriously some people take their Titans. Fair warning.)

Newsarama brings us a great interview with Glen Murakami about the movie. There is extensive discussion of Robin as the main character and this being a coming-of-age story for him. But in true Titans fashion, Murakami balances the serious with the campy. Interviewer Steve Fritz notes:

Still, Robin may be the star, the character who chews up the scenery is Beast Boy. From the moment he lands in Tokyo, his desire to visit Japanââ¬â¢s #1 manga publisher will have some interesting results. There’s also a great series of sketches regarding him chasing your classic Japanese high school girl. Yet there’s one sequence in particular, where he sings the Titans theme song in a karaoke bar, that left me in stitches, especially for the inside jokes running through it.

Beast Boy doing karaoke of the Titans theme song?? I love it. I may have to stop being mean mama and get these kids to come sit down for a couple of hours so that we can watch this bad boy.

In the meantime, if you missed the movie, it’ll be out on DVD in November. Whether you caught the movie or not, if your Titans nostalgia has been stirred up and you’re feeling all empty inside, I suggest picking up the newly-released complete second season on DVD. Or, if you’re really far behind on your Titans worship, grab the complete first season on DVD, first.

Most of you know, by now, that I won’t miss an opportunity to make fun of a children’s program if it’s the sort of thing that can make an adult want to stab forks into her eyes to avoid having to watch again. Even some of the shows I fully appreciate—they have good music, the characters are tolerable—have elements that don’t sit well with me. I’m not saying there’s anything bad or wrong about, say, a pirate who spends more time tickling than plundering, I’m just saying that I’m easily creeped out. Or something.

And I do occasionally have nightmares about tiny, multicolored ears that certain very! peppy! entertainers! have, but that is neither here nor there.

My point, here, is that I want you to appreciate the depth of importance in what I’m about to tell you: I love The Backyardigans. Love them. It’s a brilliant show. Little kids like it because it’s brightly-colored animals, and adults can dig it because you don’t end up listening to the same song over and over and over again. In fact, if you’re hoping to nurture a musician? Tune in for diversity. “The CGI animated characters sing and dance in a different musical genre each episode, and each character has a unique personality and a lot of style,” according to About.com.

That’s right. You won’t be subjected to “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” over and over. Sometimes it’s pop music, sure. Sometimes it’s opera. Sometimes it’s reggae. It’s all sorts of things. And your kids will be enthralled by it all, and you may find yourself bopping along as well.

Check out all things Backyardigans on the NickJr. site (hint: don’t miss the interview with creator Janice Burgess), and discover a new, musical world with your little one, if you haven’t already.

Already a fan, or you’re newly converted to the appreciation of The Backyardigans? Then be sure to visit the newly launched Backyardigans Store at Ty’s Toy Box. Some of the things there are so adorable it should be illegal. And funny little creatures don’t creep me out nearly as much as technicolor humans.

Happy Friday! Today is an especially awesome Friday, because it brings with it an embarrassment of movie riches. If—for some crazy reason—you’re not content to stay in tonight and watch either the Avatar movie or the Teen Titans movie, you could head out to the cinema and check out Everyone’s Hero, which opens tonight.

(But, seriously. Everyone’s Hero will still be there tomorrow. The only issue on your mind today should be whether to watch Secret of the Fire Nation and record Trouble in Tokyo, or the other way around. Every day should bring dilemmas such as these, you know?)

Regardless of which movie you decide to watch when, you might be searching for the scoop on Everyone’s Hero before making a decision on whether or not to see it.

Slant Magazine opines that the marketing has necessarily been heavy on the backstory (this was Christopher Reeve’s last project before his death, and Dana Reeve was an executive producer and subsequently died, as well) because the film itself is somewhat directionless:

To understand what’s wrong with this film it’s perhaps necessary to hold it up to the light in one hand and Monster House in the other: One film justifiesââ¬âspiritually and emotionallyââ¬âwhy a house might come to life, while the other doesn’t even try to explain why a ball and a bat are able to talk to the story’s main character.

A bit more charitably, Newsarama’s Steve Fritz dubs the film “a super attempt,” even while pointing out its shortcomings. When all is said and done, he’s still inclined towards kindness:

But Iââ¬â¢m still not going to dump to hard on this film. First and foremost, Iââ¬â¢m a diehard baseball fan whose dad did brick and mortar work on Shea Stadium (so guess what team I root for). There were times when the fan in me had a nice giggle, such as hiring Joe Torre to voice the manager of the Yankees. Also, Jake Austin (whose regular gig is Go! Diego! Go!) and Disney vet Raven-Symone, are the real animation vets in the cast, do highly credible jobs.

So all I can finally say is if you want to take your kids to a movie that will more than likely entertain them, by all means go to this one. It wonââ¬â¢t be a bad one for them. Just remember Iââ¬â¢m not going to go to hard on this one. Just call me a sucker for good intentions.

And if you need a bit of levity to balance it all out? Be sure to check out the About.com interview with Rob Reiner about his research in preparation for the role of Screwie. (Totally worth the read; Reiner was clearly feeling a bit screwy, himself.)

Anyway, the reviews of Everyone’s Hero have been decidedly lukewarm, but if you have small children or a deep love of baseball you may find it palatable.