Dvds

Say Anything 20th Anniversary Edition Released on DVD
John Cusack

Buzz-Worthy Video: Happy Birthday, Say Anything!

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the beloved film Say Anything.
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This week marks the 20th anniversary of the beloved film Say Anything. To commemorate the milestone (and its special DVD release), a hoard of guys dressed up as Lloyd Dobler swarmed various areas of New York City to re-create the famous scene set to Peter Gabriel's "Your Eyes." (You know the one — Lloyd wants to win back Diane, so he stands outside of her house with a boombox over his head.)

While these guys can't possibly compare to the original, lovable underdog Dobler (John Cusack), they still make for a pretty charming YouTube video. I only wish I had been there to see them live! Check it out when you read more

Baby Einstein Offers a Refund for DVDs
Poll

Does Your Child Watch Baby DVDs?

The name says it all.
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The name says it all. Parents who wanted their child to be the smartest kid on the block loaded up on the brainy Baby Einstein DVDs hoping to boost their babe's brainpower. Some parents popped in the educational videos to gain an extra 20 minutes to themselves. No matter their intention, unsatisfied customers will be able to get their money back. The Walt Disney Company is offering a refund to anyone who purchased a Baby Einstein DVD between June 5, 2004 and September 4, 2009 ($15.99/DVD for up to four videos). This comes after a class action lawsuit was threatened against the brand for claiming the Baby Einstein DVDs are educational, especially as studies have found that TV time for little ones under the age of 3-years old is associated with attention problems later in life.

Still, many parents feel there is nothing wrong with a little downtime in front of the small screen and find these gentle cartoons to be good entertainment for their wee ones. Does your toddler or baby watch DVDs?

DVD Review: 10-Minute Solutions Hip-Hop Dance Mix
DVD Review

DVD Review: 10-Minute Solutions Hip-Hop Dance Mix

I tend to avoid hip hop-based fitness videos, out of fear the instructors will be too perky for my taste.
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I tend to avoid hip hop-based fitness videos, out of fear the instructors will be too perky for my taste. But since I like the 10-Minute Solution series, I leaped into 10-Minute Solution Hip-Hop Dance Mix DVD ($13.50) hoping for a good workout and some new moves for the dance floor.

Though most of the routines aren't very club-worthy, they make for a hearty, thorough, but not super-intense cardio workout. To really get your heart pumping, do all five 10-minute segments in quick succession. The instructor is perky but not annoying and very accessible; she assigns names to all the moves and calls them out clearly to help you can keep up.

If you're a beginner, I recommend starting with the first segment, hip-hop basics. It will help you get a feel for the steps and how the routines build on each other. As with most dance-based fitness videos, you learn the moves one by one and add more as you go to form longer combos. Some of the routines — particularly Edgy Grooves and Cardio Street Heat — are hard to follow on first viewing, but after a few tries, even beginners will find them manageable.

You don't have to have a dance background to do this video; just the patience to learn. My only complaint was the music: your typical Casio-esque fitness DVD beats. I think some actual hip hop would motivate me to move even more.

Are You Buying Fewer DVDs Than Usual?
Movies

Are You Buying Fewer DVDs Than Usual?

According to the Digital Entertainment Group's midyear report, "consumer spending on home entertainment titles was down nearly 4%," which isn't really a shocker given today's economy, but it still might be a shift in spending habits for many people.
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According to the Digital Entertainment Group's midyear report, "consumer spending on home entertainment titles was down nearly 4%," which isn't really a shocker given today's economy, but it still might be a shift in spending habits for many people. Have you noticed a change in your DVD-buying habits? Is it all Netflix, all the time these days? Or do you still buy all the movies and TV series you want?

Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series on Blu Ray Release on July 28
Shopping

It's What You've Been Waiting For: BSG, the Complete Series

I have to be honest — I've felt like a piece of me has been missing since the finale of Battlestar Galactica.
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I have to be honest — I've felt like a piece of me has been missing since the finale of Battlestar Galactica. I know, I know, I gotta move on. But thankfully, the epic space opera can live on in my heart, and soon it can live on a loop in my DVD player! Battlestar Galactica: The Complete Series ($220) hits shelves on July 28, and it couldn't come at a better time. What with So You Think You Can Dance drawing to a close, I'll need something to fill my time until the geeky shenanigans of The Office return to my screen.

If you couldn't tell, I'm a little channel-happy these days. That's what happens once you get a TiVo, but hey, you just gotta roll with the punches.

DIY CD or DVD Case Made From Folded Piece of Paper
DIY

How to Fold a Piece of Paper Into a Makeshift CD Case

Need to give someone a CD or DVD you've burned, or have long lost the case for?
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Need to give someone a CD or DVD you've burned, or have long lost the case for? Don't buy a new case — just follow this tutorial by DIY Maven for how to make a CD case with a simple piece of white paper.

All you need is a sheet of standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper, and to follow these super simple folding steps.

Even though I'd throw it together in a pinch, you could do as the post suggests and print a design on paper or use a sheet of already-printed or colored paper.

Free Fitness Videos on BeYOU.tv
Fitness

BeYOU.tv — Watch Fitness Videos

If you're trying to stay active while sticking to a budget, here's an idea.
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If you're trying to stay active while sticking to a budget, here's an idea. FitSugar reader Sinazucar told me about a website called BeYOU.tv. It's a fitness and wellness video community that has actual full-length fitness DVDs like Shiva Rea's Creative Core Abs, Exhale's Core Fusion: Pilates Plus, and Tai Chi With Tiffany Chen. They offer three plans:

  1. For free, you can watch full exercise videos, but you'll have to deal with a few ads. You can click and skip over them though, so it's really not that annoying.
  2. For a 2 Day Pass, pay $4.95 and get streaming access to their entire library of fitness videos for two days — all ad-free. It's a great way to try out the site and see if you want to get the month pass.
  3. For a Monthly Pass, pay $14.95 for full-screen size, commercial-free fitness videos, and you even get the first week free. There are also videos you can download to your computer, iPod, or TV, and the monthly fee gets you 15 percent off the price.

Find DVDs you've heard of, or search for videos based on level of difficulty, parts of the body targeted, or by the type of workout. If you love to work out to fitness videos, this is an outstanding online resource.

Gift Guide for Entertainment DVD Box Sets
Dvds

Buzz's Gift Guide: Box Set Bonanza!

Welcome back to my Buzz Gift Guide series for all the entertainment lovers in your life.
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Welcome back to my Buzz Gift Guide series for all the entertainment lovers in your life. Yesterday I came up with some ideas for your coworkers, and today, I'm focusing on some splurge gifts for someone special: DVD box sets. These sets, whether a whole TV series or a collection of films, are pricier than the average gift, so they're definitely meant for that superfan who you know will cherish these DVDs forever.

I know many a Sopranos fan that would covet this giant box set that includes the complete series of the HBO show plus tons of special features — including creator David Chase and the cast talking about one of the alternate endings.

Fans of Freaks and Geeks will forever love anyone who gifts them this special "Yearbook Edition" box set. Also, the acclaimed series The Wire is available in its entirety now just in time for the holidays.

Finally, I personally would kill for this collection of films directed by Pedro Almodovar with eight movies including Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, All About My Mother, Talk to Her, The Flower of My Secret, and Bad Education.

Check out HolidaySugar for all of our holiday coverage and gift guides.

Do You Care About Blu-ray?
Movies

Do You Care About Blu-ray?

It seems like every day, I hear about another movie getting re-released in Blu-ray.
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It seems like every day, I hear about another movie getting re-released in Blu-ray. The "next-generation," high-definition DVD format promises sharper pictures and brighter colors, and it seems to be really taking off this holiday season. I, though, still don't have a player that can handle Blu-ray discs, so it's all sort of lost on me. What about you?

Source

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!
Halloween

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

Certain things around the holidays make us nostalgic and Charlie Brown is one of them.
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Certain things around the holidays make us nostalgic and Charlie Brown is one of them. I grew up watching the bald and lovable lil guy and the rest of the Peanuts gang as Halloween drew near when the animated specials aired on television.

It's a tradition I'm passing along to my tots starting with It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown ($10).

Though the initial broadcast took place 11 years before I was born, this timeless classic continues to win over audiences with the story of Linus believing in The Great Pumpkin, trick-or-treating and the tribulations that result and Violet's Halloween party.

If you're looking for something other than candy to gift your gremlins on Friday, this DVD is the perfect present. You wee ones can get a sneak preview on ABC tonight!