Because trouble comes in all sizes.
As I look around the room in my suburban home, I see evidence aplenty of young children. Teeming mountains of toys, books and crafts have laid claim to much of the available surface area. Even my own work space has transformed into a post adventure holding station. LIke a flourishing garden, family life has taken root here including its growing challenges.
I’ve received several Public Relations invitations to media events over the years. Quite frankly, they almost never live up to the hype. But every once in awhile, you luck into something special. Yesterday I had the opportunity to hang out with the caped crusader himself, the classic TV series Batman, in New York City’s Times Square at Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium. Did I mention he drove up in the Batmobile?!! He was there to unveil Mezco Toyz new Batman Mez-itz line from the 1966-68 “Batman” TV series.
Over the years, Pixar Studios has earned the trust of parents with their witty, visually compelling, and often poignant animated movies. They have become a stalwart ally for entertaining kids of all ages. Even Pixar Studios being acquired by Disney seemed to be an inspired choice. Yet with the trend towards producing sequels taking root at Pixar, one has to wonder whether the focus on creativity has been replaced by maximizing profitability. Nonetheless, the recently released “Monsters University”, much like comfort food, will delight and satisfy even the most cynical appetites.
As an old school gamer whose childhood experiences included the nascent days of video game consoles such as the Atari 2600, I can tell you first hand much has changed in the video game industry. Rather than stand alone game machines, video game consoles have morphed into powerful home entertainment hubs featuring games, movies, e-commerce, and social media integration. The recently introduced Sony PS4 and Microsoft XBOX One were supposed to be heralded as the next giant technological leap forward in home entertainment. Yet the excitement by gamers and average consumers alike might be short lived. In fact, the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) could mark the last time we see new video game console hardware. The reason? The stunningly rapid global ascendance of mobile gaming via smartphones and tablets.
Father’s day is fast approaching. Unlike Mother’s Day which traditionally manifests into a day of pampering and gifts for Moms, Father’s Day usually encompasses a more subdued recognition of Dads. In fact, rather than a dad-centric celebration, Father’s day often entails a family outing such as a day at the park or a visit to the Zoo. As for gifts, Dads can expect to be inundated with inexpensive pre-packaged department store items (think Grooming kits) or perhaps the generic shirt and tie combo set. Quite frankly, fathers would rather have hugs from our children, a good meal, low stress, and some intimate time with our wives. Yet, if you must buy Father’s Day gifts, we’ve come up with a winning short list for 2013.
Making an app about dumb ways to die might seem to be a losing proposition. Yet the good folks at Metro Trains Melbourne Pty Ltd have created a vibrantly colorful world of dumb characters who find themselves in precarious situations. It’s your job as the player to keep them out of harm’s way. Coupled with a catchy, instantly memorable music video ( over 48 million views on youtube), this free app is sure to educate the masses with a wink and a smile.
Kids love silly noises. Loud, obnoxious, room filling sounds like burping translate into comedic gold for youngsters . Kids also enjoy to draw, play games, and manipulate interactive tools like electronic devices. It’s not surprising they’re captivated by iPads which in turn has prompted software developers to produce countless numbers of kids apps. Yet the relatively high cost of the coveted digital device coupled with its fragility does not bode well for handling by kids. One company has conjured up a solution that both provides durability to the iPad as well as interactive gameplay for children. Behold WowWee’s ArtSee Studio.
Some months ago, the N.Y. Times had a story focused on Tina Fey as reflecting a cultural mood making pregnancy a fertile field for romantic comedy. According to the story, an inviolate rule of Hollywood comedy is that once a woman in her 30’s gets her man, or can’t find him, then she has to want a baby – or cope with a baby she didn’t plan on. From “Murphy Brown” to “Knocked Up” to Ms. Fey’s latest, “Admission”, the path from romance to “momance” is clear.
Diehard fans of the original Star Trek series and for that matter the movie versions featuring the original cast can be a particularly tough crowd to please when attempting to forge a new direction to the Star Trek franchise. Yet that’s exactly what J.J. Abrams did in the 2009 critically acclaimed feature film “Star Trek” with his spectacularly ambitious lens flare laden action packed adventure. The key to his success? A clever time travel plot line which effectively altered the future of the main characters leaving an open ended journey. In Mr. Abram’s latest movie, “Star Trek: Into Darkness”, we witness how the crew evolves in this unfolding paradigm of uncertainty.