Tinkerbell and the Legend of the NeverBeast

kinopoisk.ruDisneytoon Studios returns to Pixie Hollow with the heartwarming adventure “Legend of the NeverBeast.” The new story explores an ancient myth of a fabled creature whose distant roar sparks the curiosity of Tinker Bell’s good friend Fawn, an animal fairy who’s not afraid to break the rules to help an animal in need. But this animal—massive and strange with glowing green eyes—is not really welcome in Pixie Hollow, and the scout fairies are determined to capture the mysterious beast before it destroys their home. Fawn, who sees a tender heart beneath his gruff exterior, must convince Tink and the girls to risk everything to rescue the NeverBeast before time runs out. Directed by Steve Loter (“Kim Possible”) and produced by Makul Wigert (“Secret of the Wings”), “Legend of the NeverBeast” roars to life in March 3, 2015.

 

Dyson DC 65

One in five Americans suffer from allergies, and I am one of them. While most vacuums only work on floors, the DC65 also works on the air we breathe. You might notice some dust flying around when you vacuum. With the newest Dyson technology and their DC 65, the dust is all trapped in the bin.

 

According to Mike Tringale, Senior VP of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, “To earn the asthma and allergy friendly certification, Dyson vacuums had to pass rigorous tests for removing allergens from carpets, measuring levels of airborne allergens during vacuuming, filtration, integrity, cleaning performance when the bin is almost full, and easy, hygienic bin emptying. Dyson machines meet or exceed the strict criteria for all of these tests.”

 

For allergy sufferers, this statement sounds like it’s too good to be true. So I tested the newest Dyson upright, the DC65, and found it to be exactly what the company claims it is. It is a powerful upright that is easy to handle and cleans my carpet while not scattering dust in the air as I vacuum.

 

dc65 There are three versions of the latest Dyson upright: the DC65 Multifloor, the DC65 Animal, and the DC65 Animal Complete. They all have the newest ball technology and a self-adjusting cleaner head. The Complete comes with four additional cleaning tools in a case. Otherwise, whichever one you choose, you’ll have the most powerful Dyson upright on the market.

 

To create this machine, the engineers took three years and went through many prototypes. The final product is one I highly recommend for any household with allergy sufferers, and that is most of us.

 

Okay, enough of the stats, here’s what I found while testing this new vacuum. The ball technology makes it easy to turn the machine when vacuuming around corners and furniture. The cord is long enough to reach a couple rooms without unplugging it from the wall. The hose expands to reach high places, and the additional tools are easy to attach. All of these things are pretty common on vacuums. My main reaction when I used this vacuum for the first time is that it is powerful! It has a lot of suction. And, second, I didn’t sneeze once when I vacuumed. There were no allergens being spread around when the vacuum was on. That’s a big bonus for any allergy sufferer. And emptying the bin is as easy as pushing a button.

 

I vacuumed one room, which had recently been vacuumed by another machine. The Dyson DC65 got out even more dust, dirt, and junk. So yes, it really does have a lot of suctioning power.

 

The downside to this vacuum is the noise, although I have yet to find a perfectly quiet vacuum that cleans deep and is easy to handle. I haven’t found a quiet drill in a dentist’s office either! Once you turn on the vacuum, however, you know it is a formidable machine.

 

One vacuum is pretty much like the other, right? Wrong. They are all different. This one has a lot of guts to it. And, I am sold on the Dyson ball, which makes maneuvering the vacuum so much easier than a plain vacuum. The tools make it easy to clean mattresses where dust mites live, upholstery where mites live and where pet hair collects, and dust where mold spores can congregate.

 

In order to ease allergy sufferers, dusting and vacuuming floors is not enough. Check out the Dyson website to learn where allergens lurk in your home and how to keep them at bay.

 

The bottom line is that the DC65 is the most powerful vacuum I have ever used. The root cyclone technology does its job suctioning out dust and dirt. The ball technology makes it easy to maneuver. Yes it is a bit loud, but not as much as some other vacuums on the market. It’s not my favorite color combination (purple and red), but who decorates with a vacuum? With the reputation of Dyson and the 5-year warranty, if you are in the market for a new vacuum, you should definitely check out the DC65. It is full of p-o-w-e-r.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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A Royal Christmas on Hallmark Channel

royal christmasLacey Chabert, Stephen Hagan, and Jane Seymour star in this sweet story of true love. A Royal Christmas is part of Hallmark’s “Countdown to Christmas.”

 

Emily Taylor (Chabert) is a kind-hearted, spirited woman who is designing and creating her own line of clothing while working in her father’s tailor shop. Emily has been dating MBA student Leo James (Hagen) for almost a year. This will be their first Christmas together, and they plan on spending it with her father and best friend. But when Leo gets a call from home, everything changes. Leo is being summoned home for the holidays, and this is the perfect time for him to come clean with Emily. He has been hiding something important from her and cannot keep it a secret any longer.

 

Leo is actually Prince Leopold from the small country of Cordinia near the South of France. How’s that for a shocker for an unassuming young woman? Then the next shocker is that Leo wants Emily to accompany him home for the holidays – in the castle with his mother the Queen!

 

Emily decides to go to Cordinia with Leo, the man she loves. It’s there she will see if Leo James and Prince Leopold are different. And, it there she will come up against Queen Isadora (Seymour).

 

Needless to say, the queen would prefer her son and his former girlfriend Natasha, Duchess of Warren (Katherine Flynn) get back together. After all, Natasha is a better match for the prince. But the thing is, Leo is in love with Emily and she loves him back. So, even though the queen does everything in her power to push Leo and Natasha together, he keeps finding his way back to Emily.
And Emily manages to change everything. She hangs out with the help, and although she initially makes one blunder after another (like mistaking the finger bowl for a bowl of soup), she is endearing to everyone except the queen, who is a real “Royal Pain.”

 

Jane Seymour’s real-life daughter is Katherine Flynn, and watching the two of them on screen is fun. No doubt we’ll be seeing them starring together in the future.

 

Queen Isadora’s meddling in her son’s life and scheming with Natasha are not enough to keep true love away, even though they do come close. Everyone, including the entire staff, is rooting for Emily. Chabert is endearing as the young American woman with strong ideas and a heart of gold.

 

So this story has been done over and over again, in fairy tales and films. But there is something very appealing about this particular movie that makes it entertaining and completely enjoyable to watch, even though we have all seen it before. If you take The Prince and Me (2004), add Monster-in-Law (2005), and a side storyline from The Princess Diaries (2001), you get A Royal Christmas.

 

So, grab a bowl of popcorn and settle in for an enchanting and completely charming movie. A Royal Christmas premiers November 22, 2014 on Hallmark.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Like her on Facebook

A Very Monkey Christmas on PBS

very monkey christmas image 1Curious George stars in his own Christmas movie, along with the Man in the Yellow Hat, Hundley, and all the gang from the popular PBS series. Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas was produced in 2009, and is an annual viewing event in many households at this time of year.

 

This is definitely a feel good little film, with George and the man counting down the last twelve days until Christmas. The loveable furry fellow is anxious for the big day, and as they wait for the day to come all the preparations must be taken care of.

 

First they have to find a Christmas tree. George and the man travel to the country to pick their special tree. There, George manages to cause some monkey mayhem, and in the end they bring home a most unusual tree, although to George it is perfect.

 

Other preparations must be complete before Christmas, including getting and making presents. This is the rub. The man cannot decipher George’s drawing of what he wants for Christmas, and George cannot think of something special the man would love for the holiday. So, while they prepare for the festivities, they both ponder what in the world they will do about presents.

 

With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, the man sees what George’s life would be like without him. In the end, they both know they really do belong together.

 

Plenty of fun songs add to the enjoyment of this sweet little story, including a Christmas monkey song. I’ll bet you never heard a Christmas song about a monkey before!

 

George is a loveable furry little guy and his Christmas movie is filled with joy for the entire family, and plenty of monkey business.

 

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas airs during November and December on PBS. Check you listings for dates and times.

 

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

Like her on Facebook

Star Wars™ Force Grab Game

A fast-action family party game that will challenge everyone…even those strong in the force.

Fifteen authentic, sculpted pieces from the Star Wars movie are dropped on the table, landing every which way. Can you be the first to see when the objects’ positions match the images on a card? Is R2-D2 on his back? Is the TIE Fighter right-side-up? See a match and grab fast to score! It’s a wild, everyone-play-at-the-same-time game that will twist your mind and test your reaction time like never before!

Monkey Sea Monkey Doo

Babies & kids love our hypoallergenic, tear free, & fragrance free 2-in-1 Shampoo & Body wash. Monkey Sea Monkey Doo designed bath & hair care products to be naturally overflowing with bubbly suds (it can even be used as Bubble Bath)! The shampoo & body wash are perfect for newborn babies because it is gentle, eco-friendly and tear free. Moms love the fact that Monkey Sea Monkey Doo is free of harsh chemicals, sulfate & paraben free, vegan friendly, and made with gentle aloe leaf extract and olive oil. The unscented line has never made a hypoallergenic bubble bath more fun to get clean! NO gluten, Soy, Dairy or Oats. Approved by Leaping Bunny

IF: A Mind-Bending New Way of Looking at Big Ideas and Numbers

An intriguing guide to better understanding all those really big ideas and number children come across on a regular basis. Children love these kinds of fact-filled, knock-your-socks-off books and read them from cover to cover. Also an excellent classroom reference that can be reached again and again when studying scale and measurement in math, social studies, science and language arts. Included are six suggestions for classroom projects.

Sand Gone

Sand Gone is a dry powder that when applied to sandy parts of your body removes the sand leaving your skin soft and smooth. All natural ingredients with a coconut fragrance. Works on both wet and dry sand. A must for beach goers or after playing in the sand.

My Snowman and Me with build able Snowman

A delightful story introducing the magic and wonder of building a snowman. Perfect for a beginning reader. The story shows what the snowman can be, and that in spite of the warm sun and snowman melting, he will always come back whenever it snows. My Snowman and Me allows the child in your life to build their snowman anytime and anywhere.

 

Available online and other major retailers.