KIDS FIRST! News

The race is on again for famous contenders Wally the Tortoise and Murray the Hare when UNSTABLE FABLES: TORTOISE VS. HARE, dashes onto DVD for the first time September 9 from The Weinstein Company and  Genius Products. Created by the revered Jim Henson Company, Prana Animation Studios and Flame Ventures, the second CGI animated film in the irreverent and delightful “Unstable Fables” collection, TORTOISE VS. HARE is a fun, modern retelling of the classic Tortoise and the Hare story.Clever and quick-witted, UNSTABLE FABLES: TORTOISE VS. HARE boasts edgy humor that appeals to adults and children alike. It’s been 15 years since the illustrious race between Walter the Tortoise (Glover) and Murray the Hare (Leno) but the passing of time hasn’t tempered their bitter rivalry.  When they hear about the upcoming Mt. Impossible Nature Adventure Race, they can’t resist the opportunity to challenge each other to a rematch! This time they enlist their children to be their teammates, but the kids don’t share their parents’ competitive nature. When Walter and Murray get separated from their kids, the two dads must team up to find them and learn there are far more important matters than winning a race!Sure to be a family-favorite with the humor and heart that The Jim Henson Company is known for, UNSTABLE FABLES: TORTOISE VS. HARE features a celebrity cast including the voice talent of Emmy Award® winner* Jay Leno (Ice Age 2), Danny Glover (Dreamgirls), Vivica A. Fox (Ella Enchanted), Keke Palmer (Jump In!, Akeelah And The Bee) and three-time winner of  Kid’s Choice Award for Best Actor, Drake Bell (Superhero Movie, “Drake and Josh”).According to Lisa Henson, co-chief executive officer of The Jim Henson Company, the creators of Unstable Fables goal was to create a bookshelf series of unique versions of fairy tales. They endeavored to portray loose adaptations of the stories, showing the characters in modern ways. Above all, the tales were made to get audiences laughing and, based on the group of children I watched the film with, the creators met their goal.“Why did they decide to use animation instead of your trademark puppetry?” I asked Henson. The answer is that the Henson company  is taking interest in 3-D animation and perhaps 2-D animation in the future.Henson has two children ages ten and eight who are already quite media savvy. She shares KIDS FIRST! values and the goal of providing quality entertainment for the kids. She also educates her children so they are media savvy and are informed viewers. Like many parents, Henson is concerned about what her kids watch, and she creates films such as TORTOISE VS. HARE with this criteria in mind. The Unstable Fables have a pro-family feel and use humor to engage children as well as adults. Her own children approved the film, especially since it starred some of their favorite actors (Keke Plamer and Drake Bell).As a producer, Henson was surprised at how well kids reacted to TV stars. According to her research, kids are much more likely to enjoy a film because of its TV stars than a film starring the voice of a movie star. In this series of Unstable Fables, they used stars kids could identify for the kids’ voices and stars parents enjoy for the adult voices to create all-age appeal.TORTOISE VS. HARE started out with a storyline very different from the final product. It didn’t have kids, and there was a lot more intrigue. Henson pointed out that when they began producing, they quickly realized that the series needed children in the stories. Families are a main focus with parents and children together. She also points out that she loves the new character designs, “Howard Baker did a really great job of developing an unstable way of finding characters—upbeat; cute, but not over-cute; modern—especially the tortoise with its jewel-encrusted shell.If you want a good laugh from a great story with superb visuals, check out TORTOISE VS. HARE, now on your store shelves. Fans of the series will also be pleased to know that the next Unstable Fable, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS hits the shelves later this year. What will the three bears do when Goldilocks moves in with them in a reality TV situation similar to “The Simple Life”?

Soccer Mom releases on DVD on September 30, and audiences are in for a treat! In this film, Becca (Emily Osment) loves to play soccer but is stuck on a team that can’t seem to win. When her team needs a new coach, her mom (Missi Pyle) decides to masquerade as the famous Italian soccer star ‘Lorenzo Vincenzo’ and take the job. Hilarity ensues as Wendy must keep up her charade and not let her daughter find out who their coach really is! Can she lead Becca’s team to the regional finals before her increasingly crazy double life comes totally unglued?  Kids and parents alike will love this heartwarming family comedy about mothers, daughters and the unexpected goals that bring them together.Cassie Scerbo plays the role of opposing player, Tiffany, in this fun-filled movie. Tiffany is a beautiful, rich girl who does everything she can to make Becca’s life miserable. Scerbo demonstrates her superb acting skills as she plays this part, because she  is a sweetheart in real life! Here’s her take on the film:CP: How did you react when you found out you got the role as Tiffany and what do you think about her character?CS: I was so excited. I had played a role similar in “Bring it On.” In this part I get to be the soccer-tomboy I really am. I’ve been playing soccer for nine years. One of the best parts of this film was just being on soccer field.CP: From dancer to actress, you have performed in many different roles. What did you find challenging about this particular role?CS: Being mean. Emily was such a sweet girl. Acting tips helped me step out of the box. I’m a big fan of Emily.CP: “Soccer Mom” is a very unique film in the way it addresses stereotypes and the premise of “Bleachers” seems to address this issue, also. What are you learning through your experiences in acting in these types of film?CS: Maybe it’s a new trend. Movies like this bring kids together, which is great. Breaking stereotypes is a good lesson for girls our age. We shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.CP: Please give me an anecdote about something funny or surprising that happened while you were on set for “Soccer Mom.”CS: I’m such a dare devil and decided to do all my own stunts like in “Bring it On”… so there was this one stunt where Sierra and I had to bang into each other on the fields, and I refused to not do it!  So even in the practice runs I kept going full out and banging into her then falling on the field and my knees were all cut and bloody but I still refused to not do it on my own and everyone was laughing .. including myself!CP: If you could get any message about “Soccer Mom” out to viewers, what would it be?CS: I think that “Soccer Mom” is a great movie for all ages. It brings something for everyone..its a fun film, great comedy, awesome talent and something people can watch with their whole family or any friend. It’s just great for everyone!CP: Where do you see your future going in the entertainment industry?CS: I can see my future going any and everywhere. I want to get my hands on everything and never stop exploring every inch of the industry. Acting is my passion, its almost spiritual to me. I love the feeling when I’m in character or on a stage. Considering that I’m also a singer/dancer..performing and changing people’s lives is what I want to do forever! 🙂

For the second straight year, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (TCFHE) and MGM Home Entertainment (MGMHE) are joining forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure on a multi-title, *DVDs for the Cure®* promotion to raise awareness for the breast cancer cause. One of the leading organizations in the fight against the disease, Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s promise is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all and energizing science to find the cures. Timed to hit shelves just before National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, the *DVDs For The Cure *promotion features 15 romantic comedies decked in special pink packaging. Each will be available for sale September 23 for $14.98 U.S. “ $16.98 Canada.Following the success of last year’s campaign which sold nearly 400,000 units, TCFHE and MGMHE have pledged to donate fifty cents from the sale of each specially packaged DVD, with a minimum cumulative donation of $100,000, to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Upon completion of this year’s *DVDs for the Cure* program, TCFHE and MGMHE will have donated a cumulative of $350,000. With an aggressive marketing campaign targeting high-profile outlets including “O, The Oprah Magazine” and “Fitness,” among others, TCFHE and MGMHE hope to exceed last year’s sales, continuing to make *DVDs for the Cure* the divisions’ largest charitable campaign to date.“DVDs For The Cure is a great example of how anyone can easily support the promise to end breast cancer and add hope to many women’s lives,” said Katrina McGhee, vice president of marketing at Komen for the Cure. “Being a part of the breast cancer movement is easy, and there are many ways to get involved. Due to our partnership with Fox Home Entertainment, people can make a contribution by simply purchasing beloved movies.”“We were thrilled at the outpouring of support for last year’s campaign,” stated Steve Feldstein, Senior Vice President of TCFHE. “It’s great that we can provide individuals with the ability to support the fight against breast cancer by doing something so simple – offering them their favorite romantic comedies to watch.”The selection of best-selling DVDs will be available in distinct pink packaging that includes the Susan G. Komen for the Cure logo. This year TCFHE and MGMHE have added five new titles – “Edward Scissorhands,” “The Princess Bride,” “Just My Luck,” “Little Miss Sunshine”and “When Harry Met Sally,” to the 10 returning favorites from last year: “A Walk in the Clouds,” “An Affair to Remember,” “Ever After,” “In Her Shoes,” “Legally Blonde,” “Moulin Rouge,” “Never Been Kissed,” “Say Anything,” “Thelma & Louise” and “There’s Something About Mary.”

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According to posted in Marketing Daily, kids are still enjoying books, television and toys. Yes, a majority of kids under the age of eleven do hit the Internet on a regular basis, but not for long periods of time.What are kids doing when they do go online? In addition to game playing, kids are watching videos online. Nielson data released in June cites that children between the ages of two and eleven viewed more video than adults during the month of April.