Entertainment | Page 30 of 89

Google Chromecast Audio brings new life to old speakers

The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. I stream lots of music. Odds are that you do too and that has left you (and until recently us also) with a small problem regarding the pairing of your device to the speaker. For us it was akin to the password paradox and pairing the device or a dropped connection led to our favorite speaker going dormant for over a year. Google Chromecast Audio is the Rosetta Stone to your speaker and music streaming needs.

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Sci-Fi Junior High reaches reluctant young readers

From the dedication page of Sci-Fi Junior High it’s obvious that its creators are devotees of the classic science fiction properties. From Stan Lee, Space Ghost, Chewbacca, Burt Ward and more they go about thanking all of them for what they contributed to society. Thanks, is also what 8 year old science fiction fans will be saying to the authors after they read Sci-Fi Junior High too.

This is story of Kelvin, a middle school aged boy whose family has just moved to a new space station. His mother is a neuroscientist and his father is a robotics engineer, but Kelvin is supposedly smarter than both of them. However, middle school is the same wherever you go, even if it’s in outer space. There are food fights, strange friendships, bad dad jokes, study groups, embarrassing parents and lots and lots of robots.

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New all age comics for March 8, 2017

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What’s new in all age comics this week? There’s a graphic novel or two, trade paperbacks and single issue comic books to where there is something that will interest your young reader ages 5 and up. As a kid going to the book store to get a comic book after a doctor or dentist’s appointment was our reward. It was a Waldenbooks, remember that mall store? They had one of the largest racks of comic books in town. Comic book stores are our kid’s go-to doctor jam, to find the closest one to you check out the comic book store locator, now, on with the comics.

If your tween is watching Riverdale on the CW they might be interested Josie & The Pussycats #5 or Reggie and Me #3. Reggie is a five issue mini-series about the handsome prankster that is more for the established fans of the new Archie. Both of these series will skew younger than the TV show, so the comics would be appropriate for middle school students.

For the really young kids, ages 5 through 7, check out My Little Pony Deviations, Spongebob Comics #66, Darkwing Duck #8 or Pokemon Omega Ruby Alpha Saphire graphic novel are some of your best options for all age comics. That Pokemon book will also be of interest to kids through 11 years old and is a traditional graphic novel. I point out that difference because there are several Pokemon books that have no pictures.

Our overall favorite comic book this week is Justice League Power Rangers. Issue 3 of this 6 issue mini-series is out and it’s one of the best all age comics we’ve seen in a while. It’s OK for ages 5 and up, but those 7 and up will get the most out of it. It’s loaded with action, some great heroes, cool villains from the DCU and lots of morphin too.

Teen fans of anime and manga will be interested in reading One Punch Man graphic novel, volume 11. One Punch Man has a very large cult following in the U.S., but is a publishing juggernaut in Japan. He’s a chilled out, average looking guy, who is also a superhero able to defeat opponents with one punch. Factor in that he gets bored with the lack of competition, sub-par superheroes stealing his glory and you’ve got a wry character that’s somewhere between Deadpool, Spider-Man and Iron Fist.

Humor

Superhero

Action/Science-fiction

Logan is just an X-MEN movie

Logan is just an X-MEN movie in the same way that The Dark Knight is just a Batman movie. Separate for a moment the different actor who portrayed Bats and consider that it was the same superhero from Batman Forever to The Dark Knight. Logan is the same character that we saw in The Last Stand, yet he’s so very different and so much better.

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Kelvin and Rosalee Ramer, keeping Monster Jam in the family

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Monster Jam is one of the best family night outs that you will experience. What child does not want to see larger than life trucks jumping over dirt mounds, doing flips or racing around a course an unimaginable torque levels? Plus, torque, it’s a chance to teach school age children about torque and how it makes the trucks accelerate so quickly. We spoke with Kelvin Ramer and Rosalee Ramer, two drivers on the Monster Jam circuit, who also happen to be father/daughter.

Rosalee Ramer is in her second season and was the rookie of the year in 2016. Kelvin Ramer has been driving Monster Trucks for 14 years and their story is really one of talent and family.

Did you see Rosalee when she was on The Ellen Show? Ellen’s reaction after she saw Rosalee do a Monster Truck demonstration in the parking lot is how you’ll walk away if you’ve never seen Monster Jam in person. After seeing it once you will have an enthusiastic reaction every time you hear the vehicle start, spin out and be sure to have your camera on video just in case you’re lucky enough to see one flip.

A truck doing a flip with flames shooting out from the bottom? #monsterjam

A post shared by Daddy Mojo (@treyburley) on Mar 5, 2016 at 8:15pm PST

6 unexpected gems that you can find on Netflix

Hey, we’re part of the #StreamTeam for Netflix and received compensation for this post. What to watch on Netflix that will shake your viewing comfort zone? We saw six things that we normally wouldn’t watch. They’re all documentaries, four with a historical perspective and two from the world of pop culture. The later two are ok for ages 8 and up from a content perspective, but they might be bored with their pacing. The first four films, either due to content or language are good for ages 12 and up.

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Hilo, The Great Big Boom-a funny, go-to graphic novel for ages 7 and up

We’ve been late to good parties before and it’s frustrating. Hilo, The Great Big Boom by Judd Winick is the third book in the Hilo series and I’m just joining this party. Is it an apt metaphor to compare a graphic novel to a party? Let’s define party as having a fun time, smiling when you’re listening to their stories, not wanting it to end and liking the characters who are there with you. Using that, as well as a slightly boarder definition of party, Hilo, The Great Big Boom is something that kids 7 and up will absolutely love.

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NewsPrints is the first great original graphic novel of 2017

It’s great when you discover a new literary treat. For us it could be something that exceeds expectations or something that comes out of the blue. NewsPrints by Ru Xu is a combination of both of those. This is a story driven graphic novel with manga influences that is difficult, if not impossible to put down. It’s a blend of cold war, science fiction and intrigue that’s guided by a young girl’s secrets and friends.

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