THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MOVIES THAT ARE FAVORITES OF MINE THAT I HAVE IN MY MOVIE COLLECTION!!

I HOPE THAT YOU ALL WILL SHARE YOURS AS WELL (THANKS)!!

What a nice group Phoebe!

Phoebe, Wow, What a Collection!! I see a lot of My Favorites!!!
Carwash and Cooley High are two of My Favorite Movies.
Great Group!
Take Care,
Tawnette

I JUST LOVE MUSIC & MANY TYPES OF ENTERTAINMENT!!
LISTED BELOW ARE ARTISTS (SINGERS, GROUPS MUSICIANS, EVEN A FEW COMEDIANS) WHOSE MUSIC ARE A PART OF MY MUSIC COLLECTION !!


GROUPS:
The Supremes
The Jackson 5
Destiny's Child
The Isley Brothers
MAZE
Gladys Knight & the Pips
The Temptations
The Four Tops
The Main Ingredient
Earth, Wind & Fire
The O'Jays
Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes
The Love Unlimited Orchestra
New Edition
The Commodores
After 7
The Dramatics
Tower of Power
The Whispers
SHAI
GUY
SILK
The Carpenters
BT Express
The Electric Flag
The Tymes
SUN
Passage
The Staple Singers
The Brothers Johnson
The Sylvers
DEBARGE
The Spinners
The Emotions
Blue Magic
Yarbrough & Peoples
Kool and the Gang
Shalamar
L.T.D. (Love, Togetherness & Devotion)
Rose Royce
Ashford and Simpson
CHIC
Bloodstone
The Intruders
The Stylistics
Atlantic Starr
The Impressions
The Gap Band
Charles Wright & the 103rd Street Band


FEMALE SINGERS:
Diana Ross
Whitney Houston
Aretha Franklin
Gladys Knight
Patti Labelle
Natalie Cole
Mariah Carey
Beyonce' Knowles
Toni Braxton
Regina Belle
Vanessa Williams
TAMIA
India Arie
Alicia Keys
Janet Jackson
Jennifer Hudson
FANTASIA
Chaka Khan
Cheryl Lynn
Angie Stone
Chante' Moore
Deborah Cox
Jennifer Holliday
Oleta Adams
Nancy Wilson
Yolanda Adams
Cece Winans
Phyllis Hyman
Anita Baker
BRANDY
VESTA
Heather Headley
Lauryn Hill
Monica
Keyshia Cole
Kelly Rowland
Michelle Williams
Solange
Tamyra Gray
Lashell Griffin
Kimberly Locke
Tarralyn Ramsey
Aaaliyah
Sade
Donna Summer
Lizz Wright
Phoebe Snow
Brenda K. Starr
Christina Aguilera
Jennifer Lopez
Gloria Estefan
Jessica Simpson
Kelly Clarkson
Leela James
Dionne Warwick
Millie Jackson
Stephanie Mills
Norah Jones
Diana Krall
Tisha Campbell
Jasmine Guy
Roberta Flack
Rachelle Ferrell
Stacy Lattisaw
Nona Hendryx
Lalah Hathaway
Patrice Rushen
Esther Phillips
Minnie Riperton
Evelyn "Champagne" King
Deniece Williams
Teena Marie
Irene Cara
Randy Crawford
Angela Bofill
Barbra Streisand
Linda Clifford
Debra Laws
Alphanette Silas (Album-"Alfie" One of Centenial High Schools Own "Class of 1974")


MALE SINGERS:
Michael Jackson
Stevie Wonder
Luther Vandross
Sam Cooke
Marvin Gaye
Smokey Robinson
Peabo Bryson
Jeffrey Osborne
Larry Graham
BABYFACE
USHER
Ruben Suddard
MAXWELL
Charlie Wilson
Lorenzo Owens
Eric Benet
Kenny Lattimore
Al Green
James Ingram
Barry White
Glenn Jones
Johnny Gill
Brian McKnight
John Legend
James Brown
JOE
ROGER
Rick James
Ray Parker Jr.
Al Jarreau
Phil Perry
Bill Withers
Johhny Mathis
George Benson
Tony Terry
Charles Brown
Roger Smith
Freddie Jackson
Donny Hathaway
Curtis Mayfield
Lionel Richie
Will Downing
Ray Charles
Jamie Foxx
PRINCE
Billy Paul
Billy Preston
Tevin Campbell
R. Kelly
Ralph Tresvant
Bobby Brown
Michael Henderson
Norman Connors
Johnny Bristol
Johnny Guitar Watson
Andrae Crouch
James Cleveland
Kirk Franklin
Bishop T.D. Jakes
Bebe Winans
Roy Ayers
Denroy Morgan
Richard Marx
Bob Guiney
Barry Manilow
James Blunt
Kris Kristofferson


MUSICIANS:
Quincy Jones
Roy Ayers
George Benson
Kenny G
Sergio Mendes


COMEDY ALBUMS:
Bill Cosby
Richard Pryor

Phoebe You're Welcome!!

BELOW ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE TV SHOWS OVER THE LAST 45 YEARS AND NOW (I'M SURE THERE ARE MANY MORE TV SHOWS THAT I HAVE FORGOTTEN)!!

I HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL JOIN IN AND ADD SOME OF THEIR OWN!!


BLACK TV SHOWS:
The Cosby Show
Good Times
The Jeffersons
Living Single
A Different World
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Steve Harvey Show
MOESHA
One on One
Half and Half
The Hughleys
The Game
MARTIN
In the House
Malcolm and Eddie
The Parkers
THEA
All of Us
Sanford and Son
Me and the Boys
Soul Food
JULIA
That's My Mama
What's Happening
South Central
Lincoln Heights
BENSON
HAWTHORNE
SOUL TRAIN
IN LIVING COLOR
The Jamie Foxx Show
The Bernie Mac Show
The Richard Pryor Show
The Flip Wilson Show
The Wayne Brady Show
The Arsenio Hall Show
The Keenan Ivory Wayans Show
The Oprah Winfrey Show
The Keyshia Cole Reality Show
Lisa Raye: The Real McCoy
TINY AND TOYA
FRANKIE AND NEFFIE
Rev. Run's House
The Montel Williams Show
The Tyra Banks Show
The MONIQUE Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Real Housewives of Atlanta


TV SHOWS:
The Andy Griffith Show
The Beverly Hillbillies
BEWITCHED
Leave it to Beaver
I Love Lucy
The Three Stooges
LASSIE
TARZAN
Father Knows Best
The Marcus Welby Show
Bachelor Father
The Rifleman
Gunsmoke
The Courtship of Eddie's Father
GIDGET
The Flying Nun
That Girl
The Mary Tyler Moore Show
Different Strokes
The Facts of Life
STAR TREK
Eight is Enough
Saved By The Bell
Ally McBeal
I SPY
Golden Girls
Designing Women
ROSEANNE
Please Don't Eat The Daisies
Hobo Kelly
SUPERMAN
BATMAN
BATMAN AND ROBIN
The Love Boat
Full House
Grey's Anatomy
Boston Legal
Miami Vice
KOJAK
BARRETTA
MAUDE
All In The Family
The George Lopez Show
DALLAS
FALCON CREST
THE COLBY'S
The Greatest American Hero
CHARMED
Sex and the City
ALF
Home Improvement
Boy Meets World
The Munsters
The Addams Family
Married With Children
The O.C.
Wonder Woman
The Bionic Woman
The Six Million Dollar Man
SEA HUNT
FLIPPER
GET SMART
Beverly Hills 90210
FRASIER
CHEERS
I Dream of Jeannie
Brothers and Sisters
Dirty Sexy Money
The Incredible Hulk
Little House on the Prairie
Desperate Housewives
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
SESAME STREET
Mister Rogers in the Neighborhood
That 70's Show
The Partridge Family
Moonlighting
ALIAS
The Wonder Years
Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea
Land of the Lost
LOST IN SPACE
HAPPY DAYS
The Osbournes
MASH
HEE-HAW
THE MICKEY MOUSE CLUB
The Rat Patrol
THE WALTONS
ELLEN
RUBY
LET'S MAKE A DEAL
THE NEWLYWED GAME
THE DATING GAME
THE FAMILY FEUD
JEOPARDY
WHEEL OF FORTUNE
ROWAN & MARTIN'S LAUGH-IN
American Idol (The Early Years)
Dancing With the Stars
CLEAN HOUSE
HOUSE HUNTERS
HOUSE CRASHERS
YARD CRASHERS
THE EXTREME HOME MAKEOVER SHOW
The Art Linkletter Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Dean Martin Show
The Johnny Carson Show

CARTOON SHOWS:
The Jackson 5
FAT ALBERT
BEBE'S KIDS
The Flintstones
The Looney Tunes Show
The Roadrunner & Coyote Show (Beep Beep..)
THE SIMPSONS
The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show
The Charlie Brown Show(s)
The Scooby Doo Show
The Garfield and Friends Show
Dr. Suess Cartoons
The Winnie the Pooh and Friends Show
The Mickey Mouse and Friends Show
The Alvin and the Chipmunks Show
The Fraggle Rock Show
THE RUGRATS
The GHOSTBUSTERS Cartoon Show


FAVORITE COMEDIANS:
Richard Pryor
Chris Rock
Bill Cosby
Eddie Murphy
D.L. Hughley
Jamie Foxx
Steve Harvey
Tyler Perry (MADEA)
Cedric the Entertainer
Whoopi Goldberg
Monique
Adele Givens
Bernie Mac
Damon Wayans
Katt Williams
George Wallace
George Lopez
Jerry Seinfeld
Betty White
Joan Rivers
and many, many, more.......!!

Thank You Phoebe for all of The Shows you listed. Some I remember and some I had forgotten about. Thanks for that walk downn Memory Lane!!

HERE'S A LIST OF TV SHOWS I WATCHED GROWING UP.
LET'S GO WAY BACK IN TIME.
HOW MANY DO YOU REMEMBER?

77 Sunset Strip
Abbott and Costello Show
Ozzie and Harriet Show
Alfred Hitchcock
Ann Southern Show
Annie Oakley
Bonanza
Dennis The Menace
Donna Reed
Dragnet
Have Gun Wikk Travel
Hawaiian Eye
I Married Joan
Invisible Man
I'v Got A Secret
Love That Bob
Make Room For Daddy
Dobbie Gillis
My Friend Flicka
My Litttle Margie
Naked City
One Step Beyond
Perry Mason
Peter Gun
Rawhide
Real McCoys
Red Skelton Show
Rin Tin Tin
Roy Rodgers
The Thin Man
To Tell The Truth
Twilight Zone
Wagon Train
The Wonderful World Of Disney
Zorro

I loved Cowboy Shows growing up. I would wear a cowboy jacket, boots, plaid shirt and jeans everday for play. I wanted to be a Cowboy when I grew up.
We watched TV on a Black and White TV. When I was in Willowbrook we got a Color TV. All of the neighborhood kids would come over to our house and watch Color TV.

In the early 1970's me, my mother, sisters, and brother went to The Steve Allen Show. We were in the audience. I had made a bright lime green daisy blouse to wear to the show. I wanted to be bright so that everyone would see me. We were gathered around the TV. However, the show didn't air because of a ballgame. We were very disappointed.

Oh, Honor I L-O-V-E to watch Law and Order, CSI, Criminal Minds, NCIS and Family Feud all the time!!

Attack of the '80s Cartoons
by Mike Ryan · June 9, 2010

Kids today, with their newfangled cartoon movies and television shows.

Just take a look at the projects in development, which include a third film about robots that change into vehicles called "Transformers" and a second film about an international strike force called "G.I. Joe." There's also a cartoon called "Thundercats" about cat-like warriors from a planet called Thundera, and a cartoon about mechanical lions that combine to form a robot named Voltron. Craziest of all, watch for a film about elf-like blue creatures called Smurfs that are all named after adjectives and use the term for their own species as a verb.

What happened to the wholesome animated entertainment of, say, the 1980s? Shows like, well, "Transformers," "G.I. Joe," "Thundercats," "Voltron," and "Smurfs"? Where are these crazy ideas of 2010 coming from?

Obviously, 1980s popular culture is playing a gigantic role in what viewers see at the local theaters and on their television screens. Yes, the '80s appear to be back in a big way, especially during a week where "The A-Team" and "The Karate Kid" both open in theaters. What's notable, and quite unique, is the amount of influence that animated projects from the 1980s are having today. If you look back at the '80s, it's not like there were many animated projects from the 1950s making blockbuster returns to the sliver screen. Sure, Snagglepuss and Huckleberry Hound were great, but they never got multi-million-dollar budgets. And when one did -- an atrocious "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" from 2000 comes to mind -- the project bombed.

"Transformers," created in the early 1980s as a Hasbro toy line with an accompanying cartoon and Marvel comic, has been successfully rebooted (at least financially) into a live-action film franchise that launched -- and later dropped -- Megan Fox, and solidified the star power of Shia LaBeouf. A third film, sans Fox, is in production.

The 1980s incarnation of G.I. Joe -- another Hasbro toy line that featured a cartoon and an extremely well-done comic book -- was loosely based on a toy from the 1960s. But, in reality, it was completely different. The original was a solo 12-inch action figure; the updated version, which launched in 1982, was based on a terrorist fighting team. The 2009 film, "G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra," was critically panned but cruised to an impressive $302 million worldwide. A sequel is already scheduled.

There have been rumors of a "Thundercats" film for years. So far, these rumors (and hopes) have not panned out. But there is solace: Cartoon Network has officially green-lit a new Japanese anime-style version of Lion-O and Mumm-Ra. ThunderCats -- ho!

Even more frustrating than the lack of a "Thundercats" movie is the lack of a "Voltron" film. The highly anticipated "Voltron" has been wallowing in production hell for years. It is to the point that when an untitled trailer -- for what turned out to be J.J. Abrams' "Cloverfield" -- hit theaters before the first "Transformers" film. Rumors on the Internet insisted that this was indeed a trailer for "Voltron." Um, it wasn't. And it appears there won't be one for quite a long time, since the film has apparently been killed. The good news, as with "Thundercats": There's a new cartoon in production to air on Nicktoons called "Voltron" Force."

And then there are the Smurfs. These guys just never quit. While projects such as "Thundercats" and "Voltron" -- both tailor-made for the big screen -- languish, here comes a hybrid live-action of "The Smurfs," smurfing all the way to your local cineplex. Set for a 2011 release date, the film will feature Neil Patrick Harris, Anton Yelchin, Katy Perry, Paul Reubens, and Hank Azaria.

The Cast of Family Matters

This was one of my favorite TV Shows. I never got tired of hearing Steve Urkel say "Did I Do That". It is a classic. I loved the whole cast especially Steve and Laura.

This is a wonderful group Phoebe. It brings back so many good memories. I like so....many of the TV Shows, movies and the Music that you and others have posted on here already. Thanks again!

Love Jacq. B.

Sorry
Have Gun Will Travel
From June 7th, 2010

Honor,
You're Welcome!

Phoebe,
You're Welcome!

Ed,
Great Cartoon Post!

50 Most Famous Cartoon Characters & Mascots

Could you name fifty famous cartoon characters off the top of your head? I didn’t think I could … until I got started. I’d wager if you are over 30 years old, you would recognize and know every single one of these characters. For real, every single one. In writing this post I came to realize the sheer volume of cartoon characters that have permanently infiltrated my brain. Famous cartoon characters and mascots seem to have one thing in common: they are incredibly sticky. Like it or not, they invade your head space, and never leave.

If you are like me, some of these characters you grew up with as a kid, others you will have gotten to know and love as an adult. The one’s that made it on this list did so because of their enduring greatness to last beyond mere fad and pull up a permanent place both in popular culture and in our minds. In no particular order, let’s get this started! And naturally, all characters are copyright of their respective owners. Don’t steal them m’kay?

1.Mickey Mouse

Joyful, vulnerable, lovable. Mickey came into our hearts and minds decades ago and still reigns supreme. He’s like the Jesus of cartoon characters.






2.Eric Theodore Cartman

Eric showed up in the 90’s and will forever leave us laughing … and emotionally scarred.

3.Homer Simpson

Homer made us all feel A-OK about being overweight, gluttonous and idiotic. Thanks buddy.

4.Popeye

Popeye showed us that all you need is a heart of gold and you’ll be just fine. A pair of killer pipes don’t hurt either.

5.Joe Camel

Hey smoking is cool! Right? Er … well, it used to be. Thanks Joe.

6.Garfield

Mischievous, scheming and adorable. Garfield has had us grinning for years and years.

7.Charlie Brown

Yet another vulnerable and lovable icon. Charlie made being neurotic totally cool.

8.Alvin

Furry, friendly and gifted at turning a catchy tune.

9.Tweety Bird

Feathery, friendly and gifted at the art of escape!

10.Tom & Jerry

Polar opposites providing some great laughs during their constant fighting.

11.Toucan Sam

One of the original cereal icons, Toucan Sam has gone on to grace much more than a cereal box.

12.Archie

You can’t stand in a supermarket checkout line without seeing Archie getting into trouble with the girls.

13.Fat Albert

In 1967, Bill Cosby introduced us to Fat Albert and his friends. They’ve been making us laugh ever since.

14.Linus van Pelt

Brother of Lucy, Friend and unusally smart sidekick to Charlie Brown. Showed us we all need our comfort “thing” in some way, shape or form.

15.Bart Simpson

Enough said.

16.Mighty Mouse

Rocked up in the 1940’s and was one of the original cartoon super stars. Mighty made many things possible for many characters who followed in his footsteps.

17.Lucy van Pelt

Bossy, crabby and bad tempered. For all her bad vibes, Lucy had a romantic side that would emerge regarding a certain boy called Schroeder.

18.Capt’n Crunch

Introduced in 1963, the Captain has thrived for decades amidst growing competition for our cereal dollars.

19.Fred Flintstone

We can credit Fred for many things. One of which was laying the foundation for a guy like Homer to be created.

20.Porky Pig

Awww.

21.Shaggy


Flared pants, scruffy facial hair, crazy voice. We love you Shaggy.

22.Richie Rich


Another supermarket superstar, Richie let us tag along for the ride as he lived the life we all wished we could.

23.Casper


Was he a little boy before he was a ghost? We’ll never know but he sure was a nice fella.

24.Pink Panther


In 1963, the title sequence to the Pink Panther movie was so popular that the character was given his own animated series of shorts. The rest is history!

25.Ren & Stimpy


Nonsensical, absurd, controversial. Ren & Stimpy made us cackle and cringe all at once.

26.Spiderman


Created by legendary writer Stan Lee, Spiderman hit the scene in the early 60s … and never left.

27.Jughead


Jughead (real name Forsythe Pendleton Jones III!) . Best friend to Archie and a fast runner which helps him get away from Ethel!

28.Mr. Kool Aid


Also known as Kool Aid Man came to life in 1954. He’s been representing colored sugar water ever since.

29.Betty Boop


Betty was the original cartoon sex kitten. She arrived in the 1930s and was turning heads long before most of us were born.

30.Road Runner


Always smarter and faster than one…

31.Wile E. Coyote


The eptitomy of persistence. If you look up “tenacious” in the dictionary, there should be a picture of Wile E. Coyote. This guy NEVER gives up.

32.Jolly Green Giant


How do you sell more peas and corn? In the 1920’s, they decided that creating a huge, friendly green guy might do the trick.

33.Bugs Bunny


Super intelligent, cool and calm. Bugs always seems to know what’s up … (doc).

34.Olive Oyl


In 1919, it was “Popeye who?” Olive Oyl was the star of the show.

35.Daffy Duck



In the late 1930’s, Daffy came along and established himself as a hilarious and lovable screwball. We’ve been laughing with and at him ever since.

36.Scooby Doo


Shaggy’s pet and best friend, Shaggy is probably the world’s most famous Great Dane.

37.Donald Duck


He wears a hat and a shirt but no pants. Donald is another character born in the 1930’s that has stood the test of time with flying colors.

38.Elmer Fudd


Elmer is a lovable dope with an unmistakable voice. His mission in life? Shoot Bugs Bunny dead. It’s been seventy years and he’s still trying.

39.Wonder Woman


December 1941 is when Wonder Woman showed up. And ever since, she’s been a powerhouse of feminine super power.

40.Hello Kitty


A one billion dollar per year industry is Hello Kitty. Born in 1974, this cat knows how to sell.

41.Papa Smurf


The oldest and wisest of all the Smurfs. Papa Smurf is the rock the other Smurfs all turn too whenever there’s a problem. We applaud you for a job well done Papa Smurf.

42.Batman


Another legend from the late 30’s, Batman is one of those epic characters that has graced almost every medium known to man.

43.Superman


Arguably the most famous of all cartoon superheros, Superman was created in the early 30’s and left an lasting impression on mainstream and popular culture in more ways than we’ll ever know.

44.Snap, Crackle & Pop
These three fellas have been getting us to by Rice Crispies for decades and have done a pretty darn good job of it. I don’t think they’ll be out of work any time soon.

45.Smurfette


Ah the beautiful and lucky Smurfette. Blonde hair, white high heels and the only girl in town makes her the love interest of practically every Smurf around!

46.Kenny McCormick


No one has died on screen more times than Kenny. This guy is forever etched in our minds for his bright orange parka, muffled speech and numerous disgusting deaths he has suffered at the hands of his creators.

47.Goofy


Another Disney legend and one of Mickey’s best friends, Goofy was born in 1932 and is yet another cartoon icon who has stood the test of time.

48.Calvin & Hobbes


30 million books sold can’t be wrong. The adventures of young Calvin and his tiger Hobbes keep us reading and loving them.

49.Winnie the Pooh


Also known as Pooh Bear, Winnie came first came to us in 1926. His travels and friends grace the minds of almost every kid. Thanks Winnie.

50.Yogi Bear


Our favorite rhyming bear, Yogi has been shamelessly self-promting and overestimating his intelligence since the 50’s with his sidekick Boo Boo.

Phoebe,
Thanks for this article, I love it. As you can tell I am a big fan of Tinkerbell. Here's one of my favorites to add to the list.
Love Ana

Phoebe,
Thank You for The Cartoon Article!! It was Great and I enjoyed it!!!

LOS ANGELES - "The Karate Kid" has won a 1980s showdown at the box office against "The A-Team."


Sony's remake of 1984's "The Karate Kid" debuted at No. 1 for the weekend with a whopping $56 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. The big-screen adaptation of the 1980s TV series "The A-Team" came in at less than half that, the 20th Century Fox release opening in second place with $26 million.


After three weekends at No. 1, DreamWorks Animation's "Shrek Forever After" slipped to No. 3 with $15.8 million. The animated hit raised its domestic haul to $210.1 million, becoming the fourth movie released this year to top $200 million.


With a relatively modest production budget of $40 million, "The Karate Kid" far exceeded the studio's expectations. Early on, Sony executives would have been happy if the movie opened to half its $56 million debut weekend, said Rory Bruer, the studio's head of distribution.


Those expectations began to rise once the studio realized it had a crowd-pleaser on its hands, Bruer said.


"It's just an unmitigated grand slam hit," said Bruer, who also worked on distribution for the 1984 version. "I loved the original `Karate Kid,' but they took this beloved title, and they made it relevant, fresh and absolutely exciting."


The big opening for "The Karate Kid" gave Hollywood a boost after a weak start to the summer season. "Iron Man 2" opened big the first weekend in May, but the box office has lagged since then.


According to box-office tracker Hollywood.com, overall revenues came in at $153 million, up 11 percent from the same weekend last year, when "The Hangover" led with $32.8 million.


"The Karate Kid" stars Jaden Smith as an American boy who moves with his mom to China, where he takes on a bully under the guidance of an unassuming martial-arts master (Jackie Chan).


With his first lead role, 11-year-old Smith had an opening weekend that stacked up well against the track record of his superstar father, Will Smith, who has had only two debuts bigger than "The Karate Kid" ("I Am Legend" at $77.2 million and "Hancock" at $62.6 million). Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith are producers on "The Karate Kid."


"It's like, `Who's the biggest star now, dad?'" said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com. "It proves the box-office apple doesn't fall far from the money tree in that household."


"The A-Team" features Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper and Jessica Biel in a tale of former Army Rangers trying to clear their names after they are framed for a crime they did not commit.


Chris Aronson, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, said the momentum of a strong weekend should benefit "The A-Team," which received high marks in exit polls from the under-25 crowd.


"It's good that the industry finally has an up weekend, so it's nice to be a part of that," Aronson said. "We're very optimistic that we're now in an upswing in the business and that we're going to play and play as our word of mouth spreads."


Hollywood looks to build on its momentum next weekend as Pixar Animation goes back to its roots with "Toy Story 3," the latest sequel to the 1995 hit that was the first feature-length computer-animated film.


In limited release, IFC Films' documentary "Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work" opened strongly with $171,500 in seven theaters, for an average of $24,500 per cinema. That compared to a $15,288 average in 3,663 theaters for "The Karate Kid."


Also debuting well in limited release was Roadside Attractions' drama "Winter's Bone," which took in $87,000 in four theaters for a $21,750 average. The top dramatic prize winner at January's Sundance Film Festival, "Winter's Bone" stars Jennifer Lawrence as a teenager desperately searching for her missing father in the backwoods crime culture of the Ozark Mountains.


Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.


1. "THE KARATE KID," $56 MILLION.*****(#1 Movie over the weekend)!!

2. "The A-Team," $26 million.

3. "Shrek Forever After," $15.8 million.

4. "Get Him to the Greek," $10.1 million.

5. "Killers," $8.2 million.

6. "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," $6.6 million.

7. "Marmaduke," $6 million.

8. "Sex and the City 2," $5.5 million.

9. "Iron Man 2," $4.6 million.

10. "Splice," $2.9 million.

'The Smurfs' Get Real in Their First Movie

by Matt McDaniel · June 16, 2010


They've been around for over 50 years, but for the first time they're coming to our world. The Smurfs, the little blue people from comics and TV, are getting three-dimensional in a live-action/computer-animated feature film. Watch the exclusive teaser trailer, introduced by star Neil Patrick Harris, for a first look at the new digital Smurfs, then keep reading to find out how they end up in modern-day New York City.

In the original comic strips by Peyo, and later on the animated TV show, the Smurfs lived in a European setting during the Middle Ages. The movie begins in the same era, but the Smurfs' arch-enemy Gargamel (played by Hank Azaria) invades their village and sends them running. According to director Raja Gosnell ("Scooby-Doo"), some of the Smurfs stumble into a secret part of the forest where "there's a magical portal that transports them to Central Park."

Lost in Manhattan, the Smurfs -- Papa, Clumsy, Grouchy, Brainy, Gutsy, and Smurfette -- find a couple of human friends (Harris and "Glee" star Jayma Mays) who take them in. They look for a way home, but Gargamel also crosses into our world to track them down.

From the teaser trailer, it's apparent that the look of the computer-generated Smurfs is very faithful to the originals. They're blue-skinned, though with a textured, fuzzy-looking skin tone the cartoons couldn't capture. And of course they have their signature floppy hats (with Papa Smurf in red). He's not shown in the trailer, but photos of Azaria in costume as Gargamel have surfaced, and he also looks the part. He's bald, with prosthetic ears and a nose, and he's wearing a black robe and red shoes exactly like the animated version.

In addition to the human actors -- Sofia Vergara from "Modern Family" also plays a role -- the Smurfs are voiced by a wide range of comedic talents. Legendary standup Jonathan Winters plays Papa Smurf, George Lopez is Grouchy, "SNL's" Fred Armisen is Brainy, and Paul Reubens (aka Pee Wee Herman) voices Jokey Smurf. Plus, pop superstar Katy Perry makes her movie debut as the voice of Smurfette.

"The Smurfs" will be smurfing their way onto the big screen on August 3, 2011.

MICHAEL JACKSON NEWS

Billboard:( 'Say Say Say') Most Popular Michael Jackson "THE KING OF POP" Song
AP, Jun 17, 2010 3:24 pm PDT

Michael Jackson had dozens of hits, but his most popular one wasn't a solo smash or a tune with his brothers. It was a song with another icon.
Billboard says "Say Say Say," his 1983 hit with Paul McCartney, is the most popular Jackson song. That was followed by "Billie Jean," the Jackson 5's "I'll Be There," "Beat It" and "Rock with You.".

"Billie Jean" was at No. 1 for seven weeks, while "Say Say Say" held the top spot for six weeks. But the McCartney-Jackson hit stayed in the top 10 longer..

Billboard is releasing Jackson statistics ahead of the anniversary of the King of Pop's death. He died June 25, 2009, at age 50.

'Toy Story 3': Movie Review Roundup
by Michael Krumboltz.June 17, 2010

Nothing's a sure thing, except death, taxes, and maybe Pixar.

For 15 years, Pixar has been turning out critically acclaimed films, without a stinker to speak of. This weekend, the studio that brought audiences "The Incredibles," "Finding Nemo," and "Up" takes the wrapping off the highly anticipated "Toy Story 3." How does the series' third film's darker tone sit with the critics? Let's take a look.

Toy Story 3

The critics are nearly unanimous in their praise of the animation, the story, the voice work, and the new characters (The Hollywood Reporter calls Michael Keaton's performance as the preening Ken "terrific"). The one angle that may cause some minor controversy (and perhaps a few nightmares among the youngest moviegoers) is the film's darker tone. No spoilers, but we can say that there are some very tense scenes, more akin to an action film than a G-rated romp.

But, hey, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Ty Burr of The Boston Globe writes that the toy characters are "forced to contemplate an annihilation that is total and complete." That, he writes, "is heady stuff for a kiddie flick." Still, Burr is positive, noting: "The tale needs to go that far into the dark to come back into the light... the twists of the climactic scenes and the emotions they conjure up carry a weight that feels deeply and powerfully earned."

Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly gives the movie an "A," writing that the film is "the studio's greatest achievement since 'The Incredibles,' and -- just maybe -- since the original 'Toy Story.'" Parts of the movie, he writes, have "the poignancy of a Tennessee Williams play."

USA Today's Claudia Puig gives "Toy Story 3" four out of four stars. While "the movie segues into a prison escape thriller with apocalyptic undertones, the suspense [is] always leavened with laughs." Calling the movie a "masterpiece," Ms. Puig also writes, "the tale touches the heart as no movie in recent memory has done."

But the praise doesn't stop there. A.O. Scott of The New York Times applauds the movie's "subtle use of 3-D" and calls it "as sweet, as touching, as humane a movie as you are likely to see this summer." Some scenes, he writes, may be frightening to small children. But that seems like a small quibble. According to Scott, on the whole, it provides "sheer moviegoing satisfaction" and is "wondrously generous and inventive."

Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times was a bit less impressed, but still gives the movie three out of four stars, calling it a "jolly, slapstick comedy." Like other critics, Mr. Ebert did notice the level of danger the toys face. He writes that "even an Indiana Jones toy would have trouble surviving" what Woody and Buzz go through. At one point, the heroic toys go up against "Big Baby," a character The Hollywood Reporter's Michael Rechtshaffen calls "truly disturbing."

Online critic James Berardinelli starts off his review with a phrase we've all seen before and will, most likely see the next time the charmed studio releases a movie: "Pixar has done it again," he writes. One of his criticisms is with the film's use of 3D. "In the case of 'Toy Story 3,'" he writes, "3-D adds nothing except a box office surcharge."

Cleveland's 'Etch A Sketch King' Uses Unusual Canvas For Works Of Art

George Vlosich III holds an Etch a Sketch drawing he made of various Cleveland landmarks. He wears a graphic T-shirt designed by the art company he owns with his brother, Greg.… Read more »




Once upon a time, before portable DVD players and the Nintendo DS, a 10-year-old boy was handed an Etch A Sketch to keep himself busy on a five-and-a-half-hour road trip from Cleveland to Washington, D.C.

Not satisfied with sketching geometric shapes or stick figures, he made a picture of the U.S. Capitol Building.

Long after that trip, George Vlosich III is still producing highly intricate images on the Etch A Sketch. His detailed creations keep coming with each turn of the silver knobs. The red plastic box has become a vibrant frame for the artist's breathtaking creations. Young Vlosich stumbled upon a unique means of artistic expression that would one day land him on "Oprah" and have him sketching everyone from LeBron James to President Obama.

Early years

After realizing his Etch A Sketch talents, Vlosich entered monthly contests sponsored by the Ohio manufacturer of the toy.He usually won.

Slightly suspicious, Ohio Art sent a representative to Vlosich's Cleveland home to see if he was really the artist making all of these creations. When the company saw that he was legit, Ohio Art started to send Vlosich an Etch A Sketch toy every month so he could work on new creations.

The company also put some of his most detailed and impressive etches on a country-wide museum tour.

The son of an artist, Vlosich recalls watching Saturday-morning cartoons with his father and recreating on the Etch A Sketch the figures he saw on TV. From there, he moved on to sports figures. He fondly remembers making a sketch of Lawrence Taylor, former football player for the New York Giants and now a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

"The Giants were at (the) Browns training camp, and I got to meet Lawrence Taylor and show him the sketch," Vlosich says. He also sketched baseball players such as Cal Ripken Jr. of the Baltimore Orioles, and got to meet them as well.

Child at heart

Many children outgrow a toy as their interests change, but Vlosich never abandoned the Etch A Sketch.

Instead, he perfected his drawings, spending "hundreds of thousands of hours," in his estimation, turning knobs to just the right degree to create shadow effects that heightened the lifelike qualities of his work.

These days, Vlosich is a painter, a graphic designer and an art director for Wyse Advertising, a Cleveland-based agency. He and his brother, Greg, an artist in his own right, have created a line of graphic apparel celebrating their hometown. The "Cleve Land That I Love" T-shirt has been a big seller, according to Vlosich.

"We're very pro-Cleveland, and we want to support the community, says Vlosich, 31, who is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art.

The king

The Etch A Sketch is still a big part of his life.

Dubbed the "Etch A Sketch King" for his detailed creations, Vlosich appeared on "Oprah" last February, showing the queen of daytime TV his own royal abilities. Currently, his work can be seen at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, which is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Etch A Sketch through August 1.

As fun as using the Etch A Sketch is for Vlosich, he doesn't take on every project tossed his way. That's because over the years he has developed an involved system that he follows every time he picks up the toy.

First, Vlosich shakes a new Etch A Sketch to make sure it will produce the crisp lines he needs. If an Etch A Sketch doesn't pass the shake test, he doesn't use it.

Rather than just start with turning the knobs to begin a new creation, Vlosich initially draws an image in his sketchbook. Only when he is comfortable that the image will reproduce well on the Etch A Sketch does Vlosich get to work.

He spends about 70-80 hours on one sketch. That's because any time he doesn't quite get a line right or doesn't think an image looks like the original, he starts over. After doing the line work first, Vlosich moves on to shading, which he says is the easiest but also the most time-consuming part of a project. A single line might be traced over 20 to 30 times to give it the right thickness.

When he's finally finished, Vlosich makes his sketch permanent by removing the aluminum powder and stylus from inside the Etch A Sketch. Once those are out, the sketch on the screen cannot be erased. Vlosich says he has shipped completed Etch A Sketches across the country and the images have always remained intact.

So many places

In January of 2009, Vlosich returned to Washington, D.C., this time to see his Etch A Sketch image of Barack Obama stand beside more traditional portraits of the newly sworn-in president.

"The Etch A Sketch has taken me so many places I never thought I'd be," says Vlosich, who is working on a piece celebrating several cities around the country. He hopes to do some charity pieces in the near future, including one that would thank the U.S. military for its service.

The Etch A Sketch may be considered a toy, but when it gets in the hands of Vlosich, it becomes anything but child's play.

THE PHOTOS LISTED BELOW ARE TO CELEBRATE THE KING OF POP: MICHAEL JACKSON!! TODAY IS THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF MICHAEL'S DEATH. R.I.P. MICHAEL WE LOVE YOU AND YOUR LEGACY OF MUSIC WILL LIVE ON FOREVER IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS!!

Big Year For Michael Jackson's Legacy







It sounds strange to say this, but Michael Jackson is coming off one of the biggest years of his career. Jackson has sold more than 9 million albums and nearly 13 million digital tracks in the U.S. in the year since his death. He was hotter than he'd been at any time since his glory days in the ‘80s. He even achieved a career goal that had eluded him in his lifetime--a hit movie. .



I think what happened in the past year is that people focused on Jackson's music for the first time in many years, and remembered how much they liked it. Sadly, it took Jackson's death for people to look past all the controversies--large and small, troubling and trivial--that turned a lot of people off..



In the year since he died, Jackson has sold 9,023,000 albums in the U.S. This has enabled him to vault from #47 on Nielsen/SoundScan's running list of the top 200 album sellers in its history (which dates to 1991) to #18 this week. That's a tremendous one-year gain..



Jackson's posthumous sales are among the most impressive in the history of the music business. Nielsen/SoundScan didn't exist when Elvis Presley died in 1977 or when John Lennon was killed in 1980, so precise comparisons aren't possible, but the Billboard charts shed some light on the matter..



With his smash compilation Number Ones, Jackson became only the 13th artist to have the best-selling album in the U.S. posthumously. And with the subsequent soundtrack to Michael Jackson's This Is It, he became one of only five artists to have the best-selling album in the U.S. with two albums after his death. Bandleader Glenn Miller and rappers 2Pac and The Notorious B.I.G. each had three posthumous #1 albums. Nirvana, featuring the late Kurt Cobain, had two..



Eight other artists had one posthumous #1 album: Presley and Lennon are joined on this list by Janis Joplin, Jim Croce, Selena, Aaliyah, Johnny Cash and Ray Charles..



Jackson long wanted to be a movie star, a sort of modern-day Fred Astaire. In death, he got at least part of his wish: a #1 box-office hit. Michael Jackson's This Is It topped the box-office in its opening weekend at the end of October with a domestic gross of more than $23 million..



The soundtrack album entered The Billboard 200 at #1 that same week, with first-week sales of 373,000. (It was eligible for that chart because it was a new compilation.).



That made Jackson only the sixth music star since the early ‘80s to star in a movie that came in #1 at the box-office and also spawned a #1 soundtrack (on which the star was featured). He followed Prince (1984's Purple Rain); Whitney Houston (1995's Waiting To Exhale); Will Smith (1997's Men In Black); Eminem (2002's 8 Mile); and Miley Cyrus (2009's Hannah Montana: The Movie)..



Michael Jackson's This Is It grossed more than $72 million in the U.S., which made it the top-grossing music concert film in history. (The old record was held by Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus' 2008 movie Best Of Both Worlds Concert Tour, which grossed more than $65 million.) The movie grossed an additional $180 million in foreign markets for a combined worldwide gross of $252 million. It was also a hit on DVD, with U.S. DVD sales estimated at $43 million..



Beyond the box-office success, the movie helped Jackson's image because it showed him in action and in charge. And we haven't seen that side of him since his heyday. Since Bad came out in 1987, he was usually on the defensive, facing slipping sales, image problems, criminal charges, and all the rest. His life spun out of control. Here, he was seen as being in control again..



In the weeks following his death on June 25, Jackson toppled records that had stood for decades. In the week after he died, he had the three best-selling albums in the U.S.: Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, and Thriller. Since 1963, when Billboard combined its separate stereo and mono charts into one comprehensive listing, no other act had accomplished that feat. (The Beatles came closest, nailing down three of the top four spots in May 1964.).



For two weeks in July, Jackson had six of the 10 best-selling albums in the U.S. This broke a record that had stood since April 1966, when Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass had four of the top 10..



As I noted last summer, this has a strong sense of déjà vu for me. I wrote a column for Billboard in 1983 and 1984, when Jackson was setting new records virtually every week. I never imagined that it would all happen again, and certainly not under these sad circumstances..



In the week after he died, Jackson became the first artist to sell more than 1 million digital tracks in one week. (He sold 2.6 million, obliterating the old record.) Combining solo hits with songs he recorded with his brothers, he had a staggering 49 of the top 200 titles on the Hot Digital Songs chart that week. He held down six of the top 10 spots..



In each of the first seven weeks after he died, Jackson had three of the five best-selling albums in the U.S.: His biggest seller throughout this period was Number Ones. The hit-studded collection sold more copies in the first 16 weeks after Jackson's death than it had in the five and half years between its release in November 2003 and his death. At its peak in July, Number Ones sold 349,000 copies in one week. That constituted the biggest one-week sales tally for a non-holiday catalog album in Nielsen/SoundScan history..



Number Ones logged six weeks as the best-selling album in the U.S. That was the longest that an artist who had died had the nation's top-seller since 1980-1981, when Double Fantasy, by John Lennon and his widow, Yoko Ono, topped The Billboard 200 for eight weeks. It was the longest that a greatest hits set was the best-selling album in the U.S. since 2000-2001, when the Beatles' 1 held the top spot for eight weeks. It was the longest that Jackson had the top-seller since 1987, when Bad held the top spot for six weeks..



Jackson's phenomenal posthumous success forced Billboard to change its long-time policy of excluding catalog albums from The Billboard 200. Beginning with the chart for the issue dated Dec. 5, 2009, catalog albums were able to compete alongside current product on the magazine's flagship chart. The move came too late for Jackson's albums to take their rightful places in the top 10, but it was welcome development nonetheless..



When Nielsen/SoundScan released its final sales tallies for 2009, Jackson had four of the year's top 20 albums: Number Ones at #3, Michael Jackson's This Is It at #12, Thriller at #14 and The Essential Michael Jackson at #20. This constituted a record for the SoundScan era. The old record was held by Garth Brooks, who had three of the top 20 albums of 1992. (In Brooks's case, however, all three made the year-end top 10.).



By coming in at #3 for the year, Number Ones ranked higher on Nielsen/SoundScan's year-end chart than any album ever had following the artist's death. 2Pac's All Eyez On Me was the #6 album of 1996. The Notorious B.I.G.'s Life After Death was the #6 album of 1997..



Number Ones sold 2,355,000 copies in the U.S. in 2009. It sold all but 117,000 of those copies after Jackson's death..



Jackson had seven of Nielsen/SoundScan's top 100 albums of 2009. In addition to his four albums that made the year-end top 20, Off The Wall was #66, Bad was #68 and Dangerous was #98..



Jackson had nine of the top 200 digital songs of 2009. His biggest hit was "Thriller," which sold 1,096,000 copies during the calendar year. His other top-selling songs for the year were, in descending order: "Billie Jean" (938,000), "Man In The Mirror" (890,000), "Beat It" (830,000), "The Way You Make Me Feel" (671,000), "Don't Stop ‘Til You Get Enough" (611,000), "Smooth Criminal" (605,000), "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" (557,000), and "Black Or White" (511,000)..



Since the digital era began, the song "Thriller" has sold 2,362,000 digital copies. Only one song from the ‘80s has outsold it. That's Journey's ubiquitous 1981 smash "Don't Stop Believin'," which has sold 3,819,000 copies. But Jackson tops the arena rock band in one respect: He has a second song on Nielsen/SoundScan's running list of the 200 best-selling digital songs in its history. "Billie Jean" has sold 1,898,000 copies in the digital era..



Thriller is closing in on Dangerous as Jackson's best-selling album of the Nielsen/SoundScan era. Thriller has sold 5,816,000 copies since 1991. Dangerous has sold 6,363,000 (combining two editions of the album). This is remarkable because Thriller was released more than eight years before the start of the Nielsen/SoundScan era. By contrast, all Dangerous sales are contained in the SoundScan era..



Jackson topped charts all over the world after his death. Number Ones and The Essential Michael Jackson both reached #1 in the U.K. The latter album topped the U.K. chart for seven weeks, which was the longest run for an American artist since Justin Timberlake's Justified stayed on top for seven weeks in 2003..



Jackson also had a pair of #1 albums in Japan: King Of Pop (Japan Edition) and Michael Jackson's This Is It.

Remembering Michael Jackson 1 Year Later: Listen To 61 Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 Great Songs!!

We all remember when legendary Michael Jackson passed away last June 25th (one year ago today) the world was stunned. And when I say the world, I mean the world.

So, let's Remember & Celebrate Michael’s life by listening to 61 of his & The Jackson 5 great songs On Big Ten 75.com Old Skool Music Station!!!!!!

Now you can listen to Big Ten 75.com Old Skool Music Station not only on the website but wherever and whenever you’re in the mood to listen to great old skool R&B, Soul, Jazz & Etc.

To check out the Old Skool Music Station 12 CD set, Love Songs 3 CD set, Kool Jazz 3 CD set, "Michael Jackson Edition" 4 CD set & Christmas Songs 2 CD set Click Here.

Click Here To Listen Now

Hey Phoebe and Wayne,
Thanks for the Michael Jackson postings, I will be listening to the Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5 music and the articles are great, as well as the MJ photos!
Peace, Ed

Superman Comic Brings The Man of Steel to Philly

PHILADELPHIA – One of America's most enduring superheroes has begun a cross-country trek in Philadelphia.

In the pages of DC Comics' latest issue of Superman, which hits stands Wednesday, the Man of Steel embarks on a yearlong journey of more than 1,000 miles with a single step. But for all his strength, insight and intelligence, he still has a thing or two to learn about geography.

The 500 block of South 48th Street is described as the city's "South Side," though no such neighborhood exists in Philadelphia. The area is actually a section of west Philadelphia known as University City, and the flub has generated a little bit of good-natured ribbing from locals.

"We really love to hear that because it means people are reading it and there's a sense of area pride," DC Comics co-publisher Dan DiDio said. "If we stand corrected, that's OK."

Superman issue No. 701 marks the first installment of the 12-issue "Grounded" series that aims to re-establish the 72-year-old superhero's role as defender of the powerless, a theme that resonated with Depression-era readers.

"At a time in our history when the economy had crashed, and we were recovering from an expensive world war (before we began numbering them), when there was great political upheaval ... he stepped out of the shadows as someone who supported all sides, as long as they were fair and decent," writer J. Michael Straczynski told The Associated Press in a recent e-mail.

"Those times sound a lot like these times, so it makes sense to bring him back around to that role."

During his trek through the city of Brotherly Love, Superman foils a crew of heckling drug dealers, saves an elderly man having a heart attack and talks a despondent woman off a ledge — literally.

Our Krypton-born, Kansas-bred protagonist lacks schooling in the finer points of ordering a cheesesteak — he inelegantly dubs it a "Philly cheese steak sandwich" — but the waitress taking his order lets the faux pas slide. She also cheerfully allows the cash-strapped superhero, who was a vegetarian in another DC series several years back, to work off his bill by cleaning a storage room.

This is really supposed to be Philadelphia?

"They didn't do very well, but they tried," Robert Lefevre, manager of Brave New Worlds comic book store downtown, said with a laugh. "Maybe they confused us with Chicago, which has a South Side. And 'Philly cheese steak sandwich,' nobody says that."

Still, he said customers are responding positively to the issue and sales have been brisk.

Superman's next stop is Detroit, where issues like unemployment and poverty will be woven into a superhero story line, DiDio said. Subsequent locations will be determined based on a recently completed essay contest that asked fans to write about their town and how Superman inspires them.

Yogi Bear' Hits Big Screen With Surprise Voices

by Matt McDaniel · July 28, 2010

He's certainly smarter than the average bear, but he's always been flatter than one, too.


That's changing this December when Yogi Bear makes the leap from 2D TV cartoon to 3D live-action movie. Like "Scooby-Doo" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks" before it, "Yogi Bear" will have human actors sharing the screen with computer-animated versions of the animal characters. But what is different in this flick is the big names lending their voices to the CGI stars: Dan Aykroyd as Yogi, and Justin Timberlake as his buddy, Boo Boo.


In the just-released trailer for the movie, you can hear that Aykroyd does a note-perfect version of Yogi Bear's deep, New York-accented voice that was originally inspired by Art Carney's character on "The Honeymooners." And Timberlake's voice is unrecognizably high-pitched and nasally as Boo Boo. It's a stretch from his turn in "Shrek the Third," where his vocal performance as Artie sounded pretty much like himself.


The characters retain the basic look of their animated counterparts. Yogi sports his green hat and necktie, and Boo Boo wears his traditional purple bowtie. (The reason Hanna-Barbara characters all had collars was so that animators would only have to redraw the head without moving the body, saving both time and money).


"Yogi Bear" hits movie screens in 3D on December 17.

I Bonita like all gospel music. I like the Isley brothers and the wishipers. My favorite show are 24, csi miami and law and order.

How to Make Monopoly Fun

Just how did Monopoly get to be such a classic?

Played by the standard rules, it’s a terrible game; a shallow, tedious, confrontational waste of far too much time. But somehow it’s the most played board game in the world, according to Hasbro.

So chances are your family games closet has one (or more) of the various editions of this classic. Most likely, it’s pushed to the back, where it’s been hanging out ever since that unfortunate incident between Aunt Grace and Grandpa over the hotel on Park Place. They’re still not speaking. But the less said about that, the better. If you’ve got the hankering to pull it out again, here’s a few ideas for how to get the monotony out of your Monopoly.

Set a time limit
If you do nothing else, do this: decide when your game’s going to stop, and stick to it. You can set a hard time limit (although you might have to deal with players deliberately running down the clock) or set a ceiling on the number of turns the game will run. Once you hit the end, call the game, total up assets, and declare the victor.

Free Parking
What happens when you land on “Free Parking?” According to the rulebook, absolutely nothing. Many players introduce a rule whereby if you land on the “Free Parking” square you collect a fixed sum of cash, the accumulated Chance and Community Chest winnings of the other players, or some other windfall. Don’t do this. Putting more cash in circulation is exactly what you don’t want to do in Monopoly, especially when it’s dished out according to the whim of the dice. You’ll just end up prolonging the game, and making the game even more luck-based than it already is.

Closed-bid auctions
Some players find Monopoly’s auction process tiresome, time-consuming, or intimidating. If that’s the case with you, just switch to a closed-bid system. Have every player write down their top bid on a piece of paper and hand them to the banker -- the top bidder wins, and pays the amount the second highest bidder wrote down.

Raise the prices
Often, Monopoly players find there’s just too much money flying around. If you’re playing with a big bankroll, there’s even less strategy to the game; purchasing decisions become trivial, and considering they’re the only decisions you’ll be making for most of the game, that’s a big loss. Try increasing the face prices of all properties by 50 or even 100%, and keep all other monetary values (including mortgage prices) where they are. If your cash doesn’t go as far, you’ll have to think much harder about where to spend it.

Auction off the first turn
In Monopoly, the player who goes first knows he or she isn’t going to wind up paying rent. Conversely, the player who goes last is likely to find many of the starting row properties already owned -- and is likely to wind up with a bill to pay. Here’s a way to level the playing field: have all the players bid for the first-place opportunity with some of their starting cash.

Ditch useless utilities
No smart Monopoly player buys the utilities. Make them worthwhile by turning them into a fifth and sixth railroad. Keep the cost the same as the other railroads, and increase the rent values proportionally for players holding five or six.

Barter
Many Monopoly games adopt this rule as the game wears on, as adding a human dimension to the game deepens its strategy enormously. Under this rule, all deals between players are fair game. Want to lend money and charge interest? Go ahead. Trade properties for a Get Out Of Jail Free card? Sure. Give another player free rent on all your properties, or arrange a profit-sharing deal? Go nuts. Just be prepared for an engrossing session of skulduggery and backstabbing.

Make your own cards
Ever thought your Monopoly game would be livened up by a housewrecking elephant? What about a property boom that doubles prices for the next round? Make your own sets of Chance or Community Chest cards, and you can make your wildest dreams come true. As long as they involve Monopoly boards, that is.

'Dora The Explorer' May Change A Whole Generation

Don't underestimate her just because she's a little girl. "Dora The Explorer" is a multibillion-dollar franchise that may be creating a more enlightened generation, more open to different people and cultures not their own.

Ten years have passed since the Latina Dora became the first bilingual heroine of children's TV and conquered the hearts of kids around the world. Nickelodeon has celebrated the anniversary with a one-hour special that features the voices of Rosie Perez, John Leguizamo and Hector Elizondo, and a documentary with comments from Dora herself, the series' creators, experts from the industry, real-life kids and celebrities such as Salma Hayek and Shakira.

"I think that the fact that kids are identifying with a kid with darker color skin that speaks another language (shows they are more open)," said Chris Gifford, one of the show's creators and executive producers. "Kids want their parents to read them the books and watch Dora with them. ... That's what it's about."

"Dora The Explorer" is seen today in 151 markets and is translated to 30 languages. In English-speaking countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, Dora teaches Spanish; in other markets — including the Hispanic U.S. markets — the adventurous little girl teaches English.

According to Nickelodeon, "Dora" has generated over $11 billion in worldwide sales since 2002, having sold 65 million units of Fisher Price Dora the Explorer toys, 50 million books and over 20 million DVDs worldwide. In France, publishing house Albin Michel has sold more than 12 million educational Dora books since its launch — or one Dora book for every child in France, the network points out.

Yet, the original idea for the show had nothing to do with a bilingual girl.

"She didn't start as a Latina or a heroine — she was a forest animal," said co-creator and executive producer Valerie Walsh Valdes. "Nickelodeon actually asked us to consider making her a Latina because a recent study said that there were no positive bilingual characters on children's television."

So producers turned to such experts as historian Carlos E. Cortes, author of "The Children Are Watching" and "The Making — and Remaking — of a Multiculturalist."

"He was absolutely instrumental in helping us find the best way to put Dora forward in terms of culture," said Gifford. Cortes advised that Dora should always be inclusive, so producers decided not to give her a particular country of origin.

"I am delighted with the way 'Dora' has come out, particularly the impact it seems to be having in young people," said Cortes, professor emeritus of history at the University of California, Riverside. "The Latino kids take pride having Dora as a lead character and non-Latino kids can embrace someone different."

"I think that Dora has a very specific special relationship with kids at home, not necessarily for being bilingual but as a powerful character who invites kids on adventures," says Brown Johnson, president, Animation, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group. "Here, Spanish words open doors."

In "Dora The Explorer," the Latin flavor is present not only in the language and Dora's features but also in characters such as Isa the Iguana and Tico the Squirrel, scenes, themes and family values. The little star invites her young, preschool viewers to come with her on an adventure, where she usually faces a problem that she cannot resolve by herself.

Dora asks her audience to answer questions in an interactive show that includes silences that are long enough for viewers to suggest an answer.

"The kids are feeling good about putting together the puzzle bridge (that will solve the problem). ... Dora needs THEIR help!" says Walsh Valdes.

Each episode relies on the advice of educators and cultural experts, and can take more than a year to produce, in part because not one gets into the air without first being screened in front of the most honest and feared jury: at least 75 children. "Just the heartbreak to see those kids disappointed! We really take it personally. ... These 3 year olds," Gifford said. They really listen to the children, said Walsh Valdes.

Dora's voice has been portrayed the last three years by Caitlin Sanchez. The 14-year-old succeeded the original voice of Dora, Kathleen Herles, when she left to go to college.

"It's really an honor to play an icon," said Sanchez, who enjoys making the voice of the Latina idol in front of her little fans, who immediately recognize it: "It's Dora!" "She's got Dora inside her mouth!"

"Dora is like the most helping person in the world," the young actress said. "I have learned a lot from her, too. ... She's a great role model."

Stars such as Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek have spoken about the relationship of Dora with their families.

"There's a 'Dora The Explorer' (episode) where Dora's mom has twins — a boy and a girl," Jolie told People magazine in 2008, noting how her older children got ready for the arrival of her own twins. "They watched that a lot."

"I love Dora! She's been such a part of my relationship with my child," said Hayek at the show's 10th anniversary press conference in March. "I love that it's bilingual and that she's a heroine who has Latin roots."

Meanwhile, a Dora balloon made its debut in Macy's 2005 Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, the first time for a Latino character.

"It's flattering, but it also speaks about how Dora has transcended from just being a preschool show. There's something really amazing in her ability to cross over," said Walsh Valdes.

"Dora" has aired against the backdrop of the immigration debate. When the new Arizona law was announced, a photo of Dora behind bars as a suspected illegal immigrant made the rounds on the Internet.

Such is the influence of Dora, Cortes said, that future fans could affect the political future of America. A 5-year-old viewer in 2000 is now 15.

"It will be another three years until they go to college and be able to vote, and I think we may see a difference. You can't be certain, but our hope is that young people of all backgrounds will be more open," he said. "If Dora can do that, her impact is unimaginable."

James Cameron Presents New Footage and Creatures in 'Avatar: Special Edition'

Can James Cameron singlehandedly save the summer box office with the re-release of "Avatar" this weekend? Probably not, as there aren't enough weekends left this blockbuster season, but this does give movie fans an opportunity to see the "Special Edition" -- with an additional nine minutes of new footage -- of the all-time highest grossing film. Of course you'll be able to see it in IMAX and in 3D, but the best reason of all to see it again just might be for the creatures that didn't appear in the '09 theatrical release.

Fortunately, we did get the director to share an exclusive photo of the Sturmbeest, or as the Na'vi call them, "Talioang," whom you'll be able to catch a glimpse of in the re-released version. You'll note these impressive specimens stampeding below the Na'vi in the photo. And like every living thing on Pandora -- and anything from the mind of Cameron -- they are large in scale. Like massive, single-horned, blue cows, the Sturbeests are harmless unless startled by a predator.


Furthermore, in honor of the late summer re-release of "Avatar," Yahoo! Movies got to sit down with James Cameron to discuss his real experiences with native tribes, the highly anticipated sequel and if he'll direct a third film, his thoughts on the next cinematic trend beyond 3D, and the prospects of his own signature line of 3D glasses.

Yahoo! Movies: So, a lot of people have seen Avatar.

James Cameron: I think there are some mud men in New Guinea that haven't seen it.

YM: Ah, so that must be why it's coming out in theaters again.

JC: Actually, when I was down in Brazil I was meeting these guys, these indigenous people that live way out in the rain forest and we had to take a boat, like for a couple days to go meet with them. And they hadn't heard of Avatar, they hadn't heard of me. It was really refreshing. It was nice, you know. They couldn't care less about movies. What they cared about was that they were actually, their ancestral homelands were being destroyed by a hydroelectric dam, and they got their bows and arrows together and they were going to go to war to stop it.

YM: It's like real life. "Avatar" for real.

JC: Like really for real. Not those guys, but some other ones even farther south in the upper Shingu [River] actually took a hundred construction workers on another dam project hostage -- with bows and arrows. And it's not that they are using bows and arrows to make some kind of point in the media. That's what they hunt with.

YM: Right, again, this is authentic. I think the film struck a chord with a lot of people. Those of us that are, say, exploring a new shopping mall. Things like that.

JC: Exactly. We all have that wild, feral version of ourselves inside ourselves. I don't know if you have kids, but my three year old, my six year old, and my nine year old all turn into wild animals. Literally. We all have that. And we feel that sense of a disconnect in our lives from nature more and more as life goes on and as time goes on. I mean, when I was a kid, I lived in a little suburban house, but I spent all my time out in the woods nearby, you know. And kids don't do that anymore. At least, not around here they don't. And they're more focused on games and the internet. It really is a disconnect. We're missing something. And we all feel it.

So when we see "Avatar," and it's about that at a thematic level and it's really what the stakes of the whole story are about, it's what their fighting for, then it actually does resonate. I'm just worried that thirty years from now it wouldn't even resonate with people. That we will have become so disconnected from nature that there is no resonance anymore. And maybe nature is so distressed at that point with so many animals extinct, maybe its not 30 years, maybe it's fifty years -- but the coral reefs are destroyed and so many of the animals are threatened. They're either extinct or so threatened that they have to be separated from the human experience. Then we'll have lost that connection forever. And that's the future of "Avatar." That's what the people coming from earth, that's what they're living. They're out a future if we don't do something about it.

YM: So are you working on any other projects right now? Or maybe these are just some of the expanded themes for the sequel?
JC: It's a vein that's going to run through the second and third film, and what that all means and how it resolves. It's really a collision of civilization. It's a collision between technical civilization and a philosophy or a value system that actually values nature. And values life in a way that we don't. So yeah, that's going to continue through the sequel and the sequel to the sequel. I mean, "Avatar" will go on as long as it needs to. I'll direct at least one more, maybe two. And then after that, it might get turned over to others. It's an open-ended story, it's an open-ended universe. So why not?

YM: Is there anything specific that you can tease us with that we might expect?

JC: I'm not going to say too much about the sequel because, frankly, I think the fun is in the discovery. The fun is in the journey. If you know where you're going, you don't have to go, sort of thing. But I've already sort of teased with the idea that the ocean is going to be a big part of the second film. And that's true. Frankly, that's a fun design challenge. It's an exciting design challenge to do. Think about the diversity and the color palette and the amazing forms that exist in our ocean here, and then you extrapolate that farther to Pandora to a fantasy biosphere.

YM: You can even get a sense of that with the world you created on land.

JC: Well, that's true. The terrestrial forms felt very aquatic, but that's just because I've spent so much damn time underwater. I've always said: the aliens all exist here on earth already, they just might be that big [puts his thumb and index finger together]. And they might be underwater. But all the amazing forms are already here. It's pretty hard to be more inventive than nature, and that was one of our big challenges when we were designing the films -- how are you more inventive than nature is right here? You can't.

YM: So clearly you're the biggest champion of all for 3D technology.

JC: I'm a champion of good 3D. I'm not a champion of bad 3D. And I'm very, very skeptical about "Last Airbender" because it was converted very rapidly in post-production. It wasn't creatively authored in 3D. And I respect M. Night as a director. If he wanted to make a 3D movie he should have made it in 3D. It was probably a studio decision. Same thing with "Clash of the Titans." Louis Leterrier is a very talented director. If he had had some 3D cameras he could have made a great 3D movie. As it was, they just slapped it on after the fact.

YM: And it totally shows.

JC: And it wasn't his decision. You know, they did it while he was off fixing the film in England. I talked to him about it.

YM: You tempted all the studios with the financial possibilities.

JC: I think it's a short-term phenomenon. Basically they saw a gold mine, they saw a gold rush in progress and they didn't want to miss it. So they started saying like, 'hey, we can just retrofit stuff we've got.' Hopefully they've learned their lesson, that that's not good enough. We didn't do that with "Avatar." It was natively authored in 3D. Here's the interesting thing. We're just finishing up now a film called "Sanctum" that I'm an executive producer on. It was shot in Australia, Australian director, all Australian crew and cast. But it was made for a tiny fraction of the cost of "Avatar." It's a drama, kind of survival thriller that takes place inside a cave system. Not science fiction, no monsters, no fantasy stuff, not a lot of visual effects. And modestly budgeted. And the point is, if we can do that film, with high quality 3D, and deliver a white knuckle really intense emotional experience in a movie theater, then anybody can make any movie in 3D. It's not that big a deal. The additional cost to make that film in 3D was trivial compared to the cost of most movies in Hollywood. So it can be done. People are still afraid. There's a lot of superstition around shooting in 3D right now. There's a lot of misconceptions and misunderstandings.

YM: What do you think some of the biggest negative suspicions are?

JC: Oh that it's expensive, that your post will be twice as long, that it's going to cost you twice as much, that you can't do visual effects blah blah blah. It's a long list. But it's all the "can'ts." I'm never about "can't." I'm about "can." We can do it. Of course we can do it. If can't was in my vocabulary we wouldn't have even started "Avatar" if you think about it. You can't do photo real human expression, CG character. You can't make a major movie in 3D that's a live action film. You can't you can't you can't. We just didn't pay any attention to that.

YM: And you've had to do that a few times, with a lot of your projects.

JC: Yeah, but that's part of the fun. If I'm not challenging myself, then I'm not enjoying myself. It doesn't matter what the hours are or how hard the work is, or how doomed we feel like while we're doing it. It's worth it if you're going beyond, if you're doing something that's innovative or pioneering. Then it's worth it.

YM: You've really got to be fed up at this point with the "can't" people.

JC: It's just a constant, ongoing challenge. To show people how straightforward it is, how easy the tools are to use, how intuitive it is, and just kind of calm their fears. But we've done it a lot of times: "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "Hannah Montana," "TRON." You know, we've gotten a lot of people walked through that process and they're making movies. It'll accelerate.

YM: Is it too soon to start thinking about what the next extra sensory experience in theaters will be?

JC: 4D, 5D.

YM: Right, more Ds.

JC: No, I think there are improvements to be made to the basic system of display that we have right now. We've been saddled with this 24 frame for second frame rate for 100 years, and it's inadequate. In 3D, it's really important to keep that stuff to a minimum. So I think we need to speed up the frame-rate, which means we need to shoot movies at a higher speed and play them back at a higher speed. Fortunately, the digital projectors can do that. They're just not doing it right now. So that's just a little bit of a conversion. We need brighter light levels, because when you put the glasses on it cuts the light in half. So we need brighter light levels in the theaters. So there's still improvements to be made, but I don't think there's going to be anything radical. If you think about it, we see and hear the world, we see in color and 3D. So it's taken us a hundred years to catch up with the basic human sensory apparatus. But there's nothing remaining, really, other than taste and smell and those don't really relate well to a narrative presentation. Although I've heard that 4D works pretty well, which is where they give you smells and chair movement and things like that, but it's too expensive to do on a mass basis.

YM: Disney's Califonia Adventureland -- don't they do stuff like that?

JC: Well they have 4D theaters, they've got them in Korea and a couple other places. But they're really expensive to put in, $20,000 a chair or something like that. But apparently it's really cool. You can smell -- when you're in the jungle it smells like the jungle. They do it for certain films. I haven't experienced it myself, but I don't know how necessary that all is.

YM: It might come around, you never know.

JC: It sounds distracting to me.

YM: It does sound intense, but people have said that about the 3D.

JC: That's true. But you're still bound by a frame. Inside that frame you have a moving picture, a moving painting, and the more real that is, the better it is supported by sound. It's like surround sound. Surround sound, abused, can actually pull you out of the movie. All of a sudden you think something is happening with you in the theater and it breaks the spell. You don't want to break the spell. That's why anything that distracts you, and makes you aware of being in a movie theater versus focusing your attention onto the story is a negative. But I'm not going to pass judgment on 4D until I've seen it.

YM: Final question: fashion. Will we ever see the "James Cameron signature Ray Ban 3D glasses"?

JC: You know, it's funny to say -- having made this highest-grossing film -- but that sounds too commercial to me. I just want to be a movie maker. If I'm not making a movie, I want to be doing something else that interests me. And that would be deep ocean exploration or some kind of engineering project. Building a new camera, building some robotics, or something. Or I'm making a movie. I always get uncomfortable when I get into other ways of making money, because that just feels like I'm doing something to make money.