Sunday's media madness...

I didn't get to see many children's movies as a kid and as a result I love watching them as an adult.  My latest joy came from the age old romance story told by Shakespeare so many years ago and re-told now by Disney; Gnomeo & Juliet.  This story is great for both adults and kids, as adults we all know the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet, but as seen through the eyes of Disney and Elton John this story takes on a new life.  Amazon says: "Lured out of their respective gardens by wanderlust and an exotic orchid, Gnomeo (James McAvoy) and Juliet (Emily Blunt) meet and instantly fall in love. Their forbidden love blossoms with a little help from a plastic pink flamingo named Featherstone (Jim Cummings), and soon life-threatening lawnmower races ensue, an epic battle is staged, and wisteria trees and gnome hats are hacked to bits in the process. Shakespeare himself (Patrick Stewart) makes an appearance and declares that, while this story bears a marked resemblance to one of his own, he's not sure it will end in quite the same way."  Some of the other great voice over talent includes Michael Kane, Dolly Parton, Hulk Hogan, Jason Statham, Ozzy Osbourne and Dame Maggie Smith.  Despite the fact that this story has been told thousand of times in as many different ways over the centuries this was a fun way to spend a little bit of time and get lost in an animated backyard.  I found a new copy of the DVD at Amazon for $15.99 with free shipping if you are a Prime member or place an order over $25.00.  The 3D version is available at Glyde for $21.00 plus $4.09 for shipping and handling and the Blu-Ray version is on sale at Amazon for $19.99 again, with free shipping for Prim members or orders over $25.00.

I hope you all have a great Fathers day.

C.Q.

Sunday's media madness...

Father's day is just around the corner and if you have a dad who is into sports and reading there is a new book out called Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN.  Here are some reviews of the behind the scenes look at ESPN from Amazon:

"Those who work in the business of sport will devour the book...[readers are] granted the kind of behind-the-scenes access that sports media junkies are rarely given..." (SportsIllustrated.com Richard Deitsch )

"Packed with entertaining stories of unpleasant people and awful behavior....[Those Guys Have All the Fun is] offers a nuanced look at ESPN, does some top-notch TV-biz reporting on the early days of the cable industry, and offers compelling behind-the-scenes stories...[It is] a serious, impressive, piece of work." (Entertainment Weekly Rob Brunner )

"A revelation: what goes onto the TV screen turns out to be just the glossy tip of an iceberg of ugly backstage drama. Miller and Shales must be extraordinarily talented interviewers, because their subjects are surprisingly uninhibited and frank and willing to dish and slag....[They are] good at zeroing in on a debacle and getting everybody involved to weigh in...by the end of the book you're amazed at the disconnect between the chaos behind the scenes and the relatively slick end product." (Time Lev Grossman )

"As highly anticipated by sports junkies as a Chicago Cubs championship, [Those Guys Have All the Fun] provides painstaking details on how a nutty idea concocted by a father-son team developed into a brand worth more than the NHL, MLB and NBA combined...Shales and Miller manage to create a page-turning document about the ultimate dysfunctional workplace" (Minneapolis Star Tribune Neil Justin )

"...Perhaps the most anticipated book in sports media history." (Newsday )

"This treat for sports fans has a cast of characters that is huge and varied." (New York Times Janet Maslin )

"What a story: larger-than-life personalities, salacious gossip, backstabbing and corporate intrigue set against the backdrop of the rise of cable television as an economic and cultural force....The quotes flow seamlessly, and the voices are fresh and vibrant...The depth and breadth of the interviews make it not only the definitive account of ESPN's first three decades but one of the best books yet on how cable shaped American culture." (Hollywood Reporter Andy Lewis )

"A rollicking glimpse behind the guys and gals who sport around at ESPN, America's sports church. Amen." (Publishers Weekly

I was able to find the book in several formats:  The lowest price for the hardcover was at GoHastings for $17.95 with free shipping; the audio version of the book is available for $23.09 from Amazon on an unabridged CD; The kindle version is $12.99 at Amazon, or you can download it from iTunes to your iPod or iPad for $12.99, the iTunes audio version is $21.95.

I hope you are all having a great weekend!

C.Q.