Screenhead

’Tis the season to join the King Family, once christened America’s first family of song, in an all-new television special celebrating their tuneful holiday TV spectaculars in Christmas With the King Family, on DVD today! 

In celebration of the 45^th anniversary of their ABC debut, join the King Family on DVD for the first time ever as they take a heartwarming look back at their classic specials in this all-new holiday TV event, coming to public television soon from Polly O Entertainment.  In clips unseen for decades (now digitally remastered), The Kings perform a cavalcade of classic showstoppers, while sharing personal, behind-the-scenes memories in contemporary interviews. 

The music and spirit of Christmas comes through on Christmas with the King Family. It’s pure holiday entertainment that every family will enjoy together every Christmas season. 

Screenhead has 4 copies of Christmas with the King Family to give away.  So, post your name and we will pick the winner Thursday, December 10, 2009. 

All aboard for A Thomas & Friends Holiday Special with Trainloads of fun, snowmen and Christmas trees. This Special Edition DVD includes a collectible and exclusive Holiday train, available on DVD November 3, 2009 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

It’s a perfect time for Christmas movies to start coming out, seeing as the decorations have been up in the stores since like September.  And so, we’re tackling Four Christmases today, a movie that shows that sometimes, time with the family is the best gift of all.

Even if you don’t notice it at first.

This time, a young couple who’s not terribly interested in getting married, usually manages to duck their family obligations around the holidays by making up elaborate stories and going off to various getaways instead.   But a surprise San Francisco fogbank socks in the airport irrevocably, and so the four are left forced to spend Christmas in the last place on earth they want to…with their families.

Families.  FOUR of them.  Both of their families are divorced, and thus, they’ll have to spend four Christmases in just one day.

What’s so unnerving about this movie is that it veers so wildly between hilarious and awkward that it almost can’t decide whether it’s supposed to be funny or uncomfortable.  It’s like the fat kid at school…he’s trying desperately to be funny, but it’s actually just about as sad.

Each of the families is deranged for its own reason, and believe me, they’re deranged.  The least of the deranged is a family of backwoods amateur ultimate fighters.  It gets worse from there.

It’s awkward.  It’s painful, in spots.  But it’s also got a lot of humor and warmth to it.  There’s lots to enjoy here.  We’ve all seen this kind of thing before. This is Christmas at its absolute.  Family, friends, lovers, growth.  Life.

Four Christmases is like LIFE.

And as such, the Screenhead Ten Scale gives this strange little allegory a six out of ten.  There’s lots to like here, and there’s lots to feel uncomfortable about.  It IS life.  Take it for what it’s worth.

Well Ho Ho Ho!  Guess who’s playing Santa this holiday season?

The new CGI animated title Gotta Catch Santa Claus  – featuring none other than William Shatner himself as the voice of Santa and the captain of the most important sleigh in the world! 

I don’t know if this will become a modern-day holiday classic because both my husband and daughter found the movie too modern and kind of weird because the kids in the movie were not wearing winter clothes in the snow. The characters didn’t set a good example of how children should behave. Yet, the movie is being promoted as funny, contemporary and enjoyable for the entire family and features six jolly jammin’ new holiday songs. My daughter commented that the songs are not all that great either. She also told me about a department store Santa Claus who picked up kids and was mean to the kids as the parents took a pictures. By the time they get off his lap, they started crying. 

Any-Ho! The story centers on a friend who starts to doubt the idea of Santa Claus, 12 year old Trevor sets out on a mission to catch old St. Nick in order to prove his existence and put the skeptics to rest.  Gotta Catch Santa Claus, which will be broadcast nationally on ABC Family during their annual “25 Days of Christmas” programming block, features bonus materials on the DVD that include deleted scenes, behind the scenes Santa footage, sing-along songs and more! 

Screenhead has a copy of Gotta Catch Santa Clausto give away.  Post your name to have a chance at winning the DVD. Screenhead will pick the winner Sunday, December 10, 2009.

Screenhead is celebrating the Christmas spirit with this unique family story, Christmas Story or Joulutarina (alternately titled). The story is dubbed in English from Finnish dialogue of a Scandinavian production.  We have the movie to give  away.

Just by viewing the trailer, you will see how different it is from Bob Clark’s 1983 classic A Christmas Story.

My daughter watched the movie and seemed captivated at times while a little bored at other times. She is nine years old and the pacing seemed a bit slow for her.  Yet, she sat still and watched the whole movie.  I think, it will grow on her, and Christmas Story will be one of the holiday movies our family watches every year. 

Set against a breathtaking landscape, Christmas Story– soon to become a holiday classic – reveals the magical and untold story of Santa’s life as he overcomes Dickens-esque personal tragedy and hardship in his youth to develop a big and pure heart filled with love for children around the world.

In a remote Lapland village, young Nikolas suffers a loss and the villagers – all poor themselves – band together to look after him. On Christmas Day each year, Nikolas moves to a new home for the coming year. To show his gratitude, Nikolas makes toys for each family’s children. Over the years, his adoptive families become many and almost every house has presents on its doorstep Christmas morning. 

When the villagers suffer a catastrophic food shortage, they must send Nikolas away to work as an apprentice to the ill-tempered hermit carpenter, Iisakki. Under his severe tutelage, Nikolas develops skills that enable him to create even better presents and to work even faster. He soon dons the suit that becomes his trademark and begins to deliver presents with the help of a team of reindeer.

As the years pass and Nikolas ages, his beloved tradition is in danger of coming to an end … and it will take a miracle to save it! 

Christmas Story has received an “All-Star” rating from Kids First! Coalition for Quality Children’s Media and is “Family Approved” by The Dove Foundation. Although there is a death that greatly affects Nicholas, the movie ends in a very upbeat holiday theme. 

To have a chance to win Christmas Story, post your name and Screenhead will pick the winner Monday, November 30, 2009.

My daughter enjoyed the latest Veggie Tales featuring all-stars Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, this new seasonal DVD tells the story of Saint Nicholas, the world’s greatest giver, and introduces Nicky the Pepper, the first new Veggie Tales character in five years. Bonus features include an original new song by singer-songwriter Matthew West, “Give This Christmas Away,” performed by West and Grammy Award-winning artist Amy Grant.

My daughter is nine and still enjoys these vegetables. She really gets a kick of each Veggie personality.  She said the best part was when the tomato and the cucumber were telling the story of Saint Nicholas. The cucumber kept on wanting things in the story to be different. Like when the two vegetables were telling the story, there was no twinkling lights, with cucumber’s imagination, he suggested twinkling lights, and then there was twinkling lights – my daughter thought that was funny.

Screenhead has Saint Nicholas available for a giveaway.  Please post your name and we will pick the winner Saturday, November 28, 2009, just in time for Christmas.

All aboard for A Thomas & Friends Holiday Special with Trainloads of fun, snowmen and Christmas trees. This Special Edition DVD includes a collectible and exclusive Holiday train, available on DVD November 3, 2009 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment.

If you would like to win one of these Thomas & Friends: Holiday Express, post your name now. Screenhead will pick the winner Tuesday,  November 17, 2009.

Screenhead has teamed up with the Food Network and Namco Bandai Games just in time for the holidays to unveil Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked for Wii. This new game is designed to teach players real, practical cooking skills using their Wii Remote and Nunchuk. From introductory lessons to more advanced challenges, Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked might make you a star chef.

With more than 30 recipes developed by the expert chefs of the Food Network Kitchens, the game delivers a truly authentic food experience from prep to plate. Realistic and fun challenges let Food Networkviewers; enthusiastic chefs and even kitchen-cowards perfect their culinary techniques mess-free with the motion-based Wii Remote and Nunchuk simulating an array of kitchen tools and utensils. From cracking an egg, to oiling a pan, to seasoning the perfect steak, Food Network: Cook or Be Cooked is designed to take the cooking experience from practice to practical, teaching skills that can ultimately be applied in the real kitchen, for a real-life delicious meal.

There are never too many cooks in the kitchen with this game. Friends and family can cook all recipes side-by-side in cooperative Hot Potato mode for up to four players, or have a competitive split-screen cook-off with two players. This game is the perfect gift for all the foodies or aspiring chefs on your holiday list.

Post your name now for your chance to win a one of two copies of Food Network: Cook or Be Cookedcourtesy of Food Network and Namco Bandai Games.  Screenhead will pick the two winners Friday, November 20, 2009.

Alvin and the Chipmunks Squeakquel trailer is funky and doesn’t make any sense.  It seems like a lot happens in the movie but…what for?  What is the movie about?

A Christmas Carol is taking shape nicely.  I am impressed with the second trailer offering more information about the film and insight into the making of the film. The animation looks awesome with even more detailed work in the background.