So Disney’s newest, “The Princess and the Frog,” was number one at the box office. I suppose it isn’t much of a surprise, the Mouse doesn’t fool around when it comes to it’s Princesss movies. I’ve got to say though, from the few clips that I’ve seen in commercials and online, that the animation doesn’t look as impressive as I hoped for. Lately we’ve been watching Snow White and Pinochioo, and they’re just lush to watch. The colors are rich and deep. At times it’s almost like watching a moving watercolor. This new one looks a little flat. And not to be too mean… it looks like it was made for television.

 Creature Two goes daily to a place I would certainly consider more of a daycare then a school. We chose it because of the flexible hours, fairly pristine facility, and a glowing reputation. It’s been a couple of months already and everyone seems happy. One of the best parts of it all is watching her come out of her shell a bit and begin to connect with other kids.

According to a new study kids watch almost two and a half hours of television in daycare. Adding that to the amount of time most kids watch television at home, it adds up to quite a bit of catatonic non-involvement. Fortunately, as far as I can tell, the only screens in  I’ve noticed in my daughter’s daycare, are in the main office. They’re closed circuit monitors of each room so that parents can see how their kids are doing without disturbing them. 

If I wanted my kids to watch that much television, I’d just keep them at home in front of the boob tube. It would be cheaper.

Creature One is really into watching  Toy Story (10th Anniversary Edition). It’s his go-to entertainment, which since it’s such a good movie, I don’t mind so much. There are much worse films to watch over and over again. Like the sequel. So when I heard Pixar was working on Toy Story 3, I tried not to get my hopes up, but from this new trailer it doesn’t look bad. Andy’s all grown up and the toys find themselves in a daycare, and they don’t seem too happy with their new drooling masters. In fact, it looks like they’re trying to escape. Of all the movie studios out there Pixar is the least likely to disappoint.

Creature Two is being inexplicable drawn toward the world of Disney Princess despite our best intentions. She claims that Cinderella is her favorite Princess even though she’s never seen the movie. I suppose she’s picking some of it up at school, but I’m worried Disney has put something in the water. If anyone’s got the resources to contaminate every reservoir in the country with a magic elixir it would be the mouse.

This has to be one of the stupidest lists I’ve ever seen related to child safety. I’m always interested in anything involved with kids and safety so I had to have a look.

Never use a pressure gate on the top of the steps! Why I would have never figured that one out my own. Which is why if you read the instructions on any pressure gate it gives that warning in at least three languages. 

I don’t want to even comment on the fireplace warning. If you need to be told that the exposed bricks around a hearth might be a danger, you should skip having kids.

At best it could be called convoluted. It appears as if the writers couldn’t decide what plot they wanted so they went with two. Or three. Maybe even four.  Considering Alec Baldwin and Peter Fonda are fine actors you’d think they would’ve helped elevate the film. You would be so wrong. Baldwin is so hammy is impossible to think there weren’t pharmaceuticals involved. Fonda appears to be sleep walking in half the scenes and in the other half he seems openly hostile.  

 So what does Hollywood want to do. Well they want to give it another shot. Will they ever learn?