Mommy Brain

(Jim Breuer: Let’s Clear the Air was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of this giveaway.)

One of the “100 Greatest Stand-Ups of All Time,” Jim Breuer joined NBC’s Saturday Night Live in 1995. Since then, he has gone on to star in several movies, tour the country with his Heavy Metal Man and Family Man comedy tours, and host a daily show on SIRIUS Satellite Radio called Breuer Unleashed.

You may remember Jim as the infamous Goat Boy from SNL, or his stoner persona from the cult hit Half Baked. Now he’s clearing the air with this concert event, chronicling his transformation from childhood to ultimate family man.

It’s the same stoned look but a whole new Breuer.

Jim Breuer: Let’s Clear the Air will be available on DVD on July 28th. The DVD special features include “A Fireside Chat with Dad” and a photo shoot.

Thanks to Click Communications, I have a copy of this DVD to give away to one of my lucky readers.

~ This giveaway is open to readers in the US and Canada.

~ For one entry, leave a comment on this post telling me who your favorite stand-up comedian is.

~ For a second entry, blog or tweet this post and then come back and leave an additional comment with your link.

~ For a third entry, become a follower or subscriber of my blog, and then leave me a comment telling me. If you already are, be sure and tell me because this counts, too.

~ All entries must be received by Friday, July 31st at 11:50 pm PST. On Saturday, August 1st, I will use Random.org to draw a winner and then send an e-mail for a mailing address.

Good luck!

(G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Season 1.1 was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of this feature.)

G.I. Joe is the code name for America’s daring, highly-trained special missions force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world!

In 1983 Hasbro made a bold statement when it relaunched G.I. Joe as an adventure-based team of unique characters, each with his – and her – own specialties. And because it captured the imaginations and hearts of boys and girls aspiring to make a difference in the world, G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero was an immediate success lasting over 25 incredible years.

Now you can relive the original animated adventures of Duke, Scarlett, Snake Eyes, Flint, Lady Jaye and the rest of the Joe team with this 4-DVD set of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, including the first part of the series’ inaugural season, and the three annual five-part miniseries that started it all: The M.A.S.S. Device, The Revenge of Cobra, and The Pyramid of Darkness.

G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Season 1.1 will be available on DVD on July 21st. The DVD specail features include: “Knowing is Half the Battle” PSAs; Looking Back with Writer Ron Friedman; archival Hasbro toy commercials; G.I. Joe’s Original 1963 Toy Fair Presentation; and a printable script for “Jungle Trap.”

(Power Rangers RPM: Start Your Engines was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

Get in gear! Join forces with your favorite Power Rangers against a sinister machine army accelerating towards global domination in Volume 1: Start Your Engines. The mysterious and menacing Venjix Computer Network has unleashed an evil virus and is driving towards conquering the entire planet. In the shining city of Corinth, one of the only safe havens on earth, an elite team of super teens is ready to fight for justice – but will these fierce Power Rangers have enough high-octane fury to save the world?

I’m amazed at how many different incarnations the Power Rangers creators have come up with. They’ve been around since I was just out of college and working as a nanny for my five-year-old cousin. He loved the Power Rangers, and I’ve found that my boys today still enjoy them. Yes, they’re cheesy. Yes, they’re formulaic. But they’ve got cool weapons, they change into neat robots (or dinosaurs or whatever, depending on which series you’re watching) and they fight evil: the perfect recipe for a show that boys will love.

My 11-year-old has watched a bunch of different Power Rangers series, and he said of this one, “You know, all of the series are pretty much the same, Mom.” But I noticed he still sat down and watched it with his two younger brothers.

Power Rangers RPM, Vol. 1: Start Your Engines is available now on DVD.

(Leverage as provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

Leverage is a slick and crafty drama folowing a team of expert thieves who take down corrupt corporations in elaborate high-tech schemes.

Insurance investigator Nate Ford (Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton) exposed scams and recovered stolen items worth millions. But his life hit the skids when his insurance company allowed his ailing 8-year-old son to die. Years later, Nate gets even as the leader of a specialized team of thieves, computer experts and con artists who right corporate and governmental injustices against honest citizens. To expose corruption, Nate will do wrong for all the right reasons – he will provide Leverage.

Between TNT and USA, we may never need to watch network television again! (Just kidding – I couldn’t live without House and Bones and Lost.) But here is yet another cable channel series that is seriously entertaining. The team of con artists and thieves that make up Leverage is full of eccentric characters and loners that have never played nicely with others, but that enjoy the idea of working together to stick it to the man.

Each character is perfectly cast for an ensemble that has chemistry that reminds me of <Burn Notice and NCIS – two of my other favorite series. Their escapades are sometimes dangerous, sometimes hilarious – but they always involve helping people who have been exploited and cheated. It’s fun to watch a show in which the corrupt rich and powerful don’t always get away with the garbage they pull.

I only wish we got TNT in our basic cable package – because I hate that we have to wait till next year to watch season 2. Sigh.

Leverage: The First Season will be available on DVD on July 14th. It comes in a 4-disc set, with special features that include several behind-the-scenes featurettes and deleted scenes.

Combining the best action/thriller elements with surprising humor and an iconic new breed of espionage, the second season heats up as blacklisted spy Michael Westen hones his unique skills for new clientele. After being fired as a professional spy and dumped in his hometown of Miami without money or resources, Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan; Changeling) struggles to put his life back together and find out why he has been “burned.” “Graced with a sly voiceover and strong supporting characters” (Brian Lowry, Variety), the show also stars Gabrielle Anwar (The Tudors, Scent Of A Woman) as Fiona, a beautiful ex-IRA operative who happens to be Westen’s ex-girlfriend, Bruce Campbell (Bubba Ho Tep, Army Of Darkness) as Sam, Michael’s closest buddy in town, and Emmy award-winner Sharon Gless (Cagney & Lacey) as Madeline, Westen’s hypochondriac mother.

This new season follows Westen as he takes on all new death-defying assignments in hopes of getting closer to his new employers, the people that were possibly responsible for his ousting. Joining the cast this season is Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Gallactica) as Carla, the woman who may be behind Michael’s “burn notice.”

Kevin and I love watching TV series on DVD. Three of our favorites are all from the USA Network: Monk, Psych, and Burn Notice. For some reason, this network knows how to put together hour-long shows with the perfect blend of drama and quirky comedy. They also have great casting directors, because each series has an ensemble cast whose chemistry is one of the reasons these series are must-watch television.

We watched season 1 of Burn Notice last summer when it was released on DVD, and have been waiting for what seems like forever for the next season to come out. Jeffrey Donovan is perfect as the sarcastic, smooth ex-spy trying to find out why he’s suddenly persona non grata with the agency. Throw in a mother who just wants him to be married, an ex-girlfriend who used to be in the IRA and would rather shoot first and ask questions later, and a friend who Westen knows is spying on him for the agency, and you have the makings of a terrific action-comedy sereis.

While the USA Network is beginning to air Season 3, we will be happily watching Season 2 on DVD – and groaning when we finish the final episode and know that we’ll have to wait a whole year for our next Burn Notice fix.

Burn Notice: Season 2 will be available on both DVD and Blu-Ray on June 16th. The sets each include all sixteen episodes, cast/crew commentaries, deleted scenes, and a gag reel.

(Raising the Bar: The Complete First Season was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

From Emmy-winning producer Steven Bochco comes the powerful new legal drama about the fight for truth and honesty – in the courtroom and in the relationships between those who battle on both sides of the system. Feel the heat with Raising the Bar: The Complete First Season. “A solid legal drama,” says Barry Garron of The Hollywood Reporter.

Jerry Kellerman is an idealistic public defender who will stop at nothing to help those who can’t help themselves. When he clashes with district attorney Michelle Ernhardt, sparks fly, but they are both kept in check by Judge Trudy Kessler, an imperial force with an eye on a political run.

Experience every heated confrontation and all the behind-the-scenes secrets in a brilliant series based on today’s cutthroat legal world. Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben and Jane Kaczmarek head a brilliant cast. Complete with exclusive bonus features, this riveting drama is even greater on DVD.

I thought I’d be watching this series by myself (like Army Wives and Grey’s Anatomy), but Kevin agreed to give it a try, and we both ended up completely hooked. We consumed the entire ten-episode series in four evenings. Raising the Bar reminds me a bit of West Wing, with all the behind-the-scenes machinations that go on in both the political world and the world of criminal justice.

The cast is great, although I had to quit thinking, “Hey, that’s Zack from Saved By the Bell!” And it didn’t take long, either, because Gosselaar’s characterization of earnest public defender Jerry Kellerman is one of the best parts of the show. This has all the makings of a great legal drama – there are characters to love and admire, characters to hate, and characters who surprise you in both good ways and bad. I was very excited to learn that Raising the Bar was renewed for a second season – although since we don’t get TNT in our puny basic cable package, we’ll have to wait for the DVD release next summer.

Raising the Bar: The Complete First Season is available now on DVD. This three-disc set includes the following special features: “Sworn Testimony: True Stories of a Public Defender;” “Behind the Bar: An After Hours Roundtable With the Cast;” and “Mistrials: Bloopers from Season One.”

(Army Wives: Season Two was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

A phenomenal success with critics and devoted fans, Army Wives reaches new heights in its heartfelt second season. “The writing’s crisp and the acting is first-rate,” raves the New York Post. Continue the journey and follow the deepening conflicts and complications of the group as the army fights its battles while the wives fight their own.

How will Claudia Joy’s series of devastating personal tragedies color her view of military life, and how will Roxy face a whole new set of life’s challenges? Witness husbands and wives torn apart and families struggling to stay together. Be a part of it all as these uplifting characters form an unlikely alliance under unthinkable circumstances.

Discover a sisterhood of loyalty and strength in Army Wives. This engaging 5-disc set includes every episode of Season Two and offers exclusive insight with bonus features available only on DVD.

Okay, I admit my review of the first season of Army Wives wasn’t exactly glowing. I felt like the sexual content was a bit over-the-top, although I liked the cast and thought the series had real potential. I forgot all about the series until I was offered season two for review, so I did some research. After reading some online accounts that the series was worth watching – and that the sexual component was toned way down – I decided to give it another try. I’m glad I did.

This is addictive TV along the same lines as Grey’s Anatomy. It’s a character-driven drama. One downfall of this genre of television is that to keep the drama going, dramatic things have to keep happening. In real life, one small group of friends might encounter a tragedy or two in the period of a year. In a television drama, a small group of friends is continually bombarded with one tragedy after another – that’s how they keep us hooked. So, yes, that’s a bit unrealistic, but as long as you can suspend your disbelief a bit and enjoy the drama, it’s highly addictive.

The acting is wonderful, and I loved watching the relationships between the women deepen. I also like the honorary Army “wife,” Dr. Roland Burton, whose wife is a colonel and the deputy post commander – his character is one of my favorites.

So, I guess what I’m saying is, if you like television dramas that are a bit soapy – like Grey’s Anatomy – then give Army Wives a try. Start with season one to get a feel of the characters, but keep the fast-forward button handy. Then settle into season two, which is vastly better and well worth watching.

Army Wives: Season 2 is available now on DVD. The five disc set includes the following bonus features: “Active Duty: The Cast of Army Wives at Fort Bragg”; “Operational Intelligence: Getting the Army’s Support;” “The Tribe;” “Army Wives Gives Back; deleted scenes, and bloopers.

Three weeks of school to go. I am so ready to be done and have summer break – more so than I remember feeling in the past few years. Math has been a struggle this year for both Natalie and Jonathan, and all three of us are ready to not look at numbers for a few months. Can I just say that 6th grade math is insane? I am having to relearn so many things that I really have no reason whatsoever to relearn – except to teach them to my kids.

This was the week of series finales on TV: House (which I haven’t watched yet), Castle, Fringe, Lost, and Bones all sailed off into the summer season of reality shows. Tentative news says that Castle will be picked up for another season, which makes me much happier than a mere television show should, but it’s Nathan Fillion as a mystery writer – Captain Tightpants himself! If I can’t see him helm the Serenity, I’ll happily watch him banter and solve mysteries. (Speaking of which, did you see Nathan Fillion on Craig Ferguson?) Plus, Castle ended with a bit of a cliff-hanger, so I’ll have to pitch quite the fit if it doesn’t get picked up.

Speaking of cliff-hangers, anyone else out there watching Fringe? If so, what was with that grave Walter visited at the end?

Lost was so mind-blowingly fantastic and weird-making that I still haven’t processed it yet. Biggest question: Is Jacob good or evil?

Bones was the only finale that I found very disappointing. I hate it that they wasted an entire episode on a coma-induced hallucination. And then that last line: “Who are you?” And we have to wait until fall? Aargh!

As you can see, TV has occupied much of my time and thoughts this week. Now that all our favorite series are gone for the summer, we will be very happy with our Netflix subscription. We are waiting on the next season of many favorites: Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Eureka, and Battlestar Galactica.

Other than TV, I’ve also had some great reading time this week, and finished three books: Graceling by Kristin Cashore, The Blue Notebook by James A. Levine, and Evidence: Poems by Mary Oliver. (Click on the title to be taken to my review.)

Besides reading and watching TV, I’ve been going through Michelle withdrawals, since my best friend and her family have been across the country visiting grandparents for two weeks. They come home tomorrow, and I’m looking forward to some long conversations – and the boys can’t wait, either, cause they’ve missed their weekly playdates with her boys.

This weekend, Kevin and the kids will be putting in some box gardens, using the methods in All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. I’m looking forward to lots of yummy produce this summer. Any of you planning a garden this summer?

Here are the links I saved to share with you:

~ Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) talks about becoming a mom overnight through adoption. Have a kleenex handy!

~ If you Twitter, check this list to see which of your favorite authors tweet, too.

~ Cormac McCarthy’s The Road was a favorite read last year (or was it the year before?) and the trailer has me looking forward to the movie.

~ Michelle at Scribbit has a hilarious post displaying things she will never wear. I can positively say – me, either.

~ Have you seen the trailer for the new Fox series Glee? I can’t wait.

And lastly, be sure to check out Books and Movies on Saturdays, when I do a purely book-related links post. You’d be amazed at how many book giveaways there are each week in the blogosphere.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

(iCarly: Season 1 Volume 2 was provided to me by Special Ops Communications for the purpose of review.)

You asked for more, so you’re getting more – more Season 1 of iCarly! Join Carly, Sam, and Freddie as they deal with all the craziness of school, growing up, and crankin’ out the best web show out there, iCarly.com!

Disc 1:
~ iAm Your Biggest Fan
~ iHeart Art
~ iHate Sam’s Boyfriend
~ iDon’t Want to Fight
~ iPromote Tech-Fools
~ iGot Detention

Disc 2:
~ iStakeout
~ iCarly Saves TV (extended version)
~ iMight Switch Schools
~ iFence
~ iWin a Date
~ iHave a Love Sick Teacher

Natalie’s review: Here is ICarly again, the sequel to Season 1! These DVDS are just as fun as the first disc! With Carly, Sam, and Freddie, and their web show, see how much fun this show is! Carly’s brother is really funny, Freddie is quirky, and Sam is a tomboy, and Carly is just plain fun!

(You can see how much Natalie likes this show by the number of exclamation points in her review. )

iCarly: Season 1 Volume 2 is available now on DVD. The DVD special features include: Behind the Slime with the cast of iCarly; Behind-the-scenes extras; and a special bonus – the pilot episode of True Jackson, VP.

(Hannah Montana: Keeping It Real was provided to me by Click Communications for the purpose of review.)

Country gal Miley Stewart tries to keep it real while the “other side” of her – every one’s favorite pop-star sensation, Hannah Montana – leads a totally glamorous life with stylin’ clothes, famous pals and awesome celebrity perks. While she’s thinking about using her secret Hannah identity to build her Hollywood career, get her driver’s license and win the hearts of the cutest boys like the hottie Johnny Collins (Corbin Bleu), Miley manages to land herself in the spotlight and in hilarious situations again and again! But through it all, she learns that what’s most important is to be yourself, whoever you are!

Five episodes from the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Series are on DVD for the first time ever, including bonus episode “Ready, Set, Don’t Drive.” Hannah Montana: Keeping it Real features awesome guest starts like Corbin Bleu and Dwayne Johnson! PLUS, an exclusive Bonus Feature that takes you behind the scenes for “Miley’s Makeover: Hannah Gets a New Look.”

Natalie’s review:This DVD has five really cool episodes! Including a bonus episode called, “Ready, Set, Don’t Drive!” I am not really a fan of her new look, but her singing is still really cool! As you watch this DVD, Miley will go through friendship, family, and more! 5 out of 5 stars.

Hannah Montana: Keeping It Real is available now on DVD.