Movies Books

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is a mesmerizing account of what it's like to be a movie producer. Besides sharing his own stories, Stephen Simon has written a thought provoking analogy of over 70 movies and the mystical messages he found in them.

Who will cherish this book? Movie lovers; people pursuing spiritual growth; anyone interested in any aspect of movie making... anyone...

I believe it was Mr. Simon's unquenchable love for humanity and the planet kept him going against all odds. The word "no" is unrecognizable in his consciousness. Oh - he's heard the word all right, more than most people. His heart has been shattered over and over, but love pieced it back together and motivated him on the relentless pursuit of his dreams. Did you know, for instance, that "What Dreams May Come" was 20 years in the making? Twenty years! And that "Somewhere In Time" bombed when it came out in theaters? Read the haunting and amazing story of how it resurrected itself and became one of the best loved
films of all times.

Stephen Simon is a visionary. The human race is evolving rapidly now and movies are one of the most profound tools we have to assist our evolution. Mr. Simon is forging a path for the genre of mystical movies (a genre Hollywood has not recognized). He discusses the industry and where he sees it heading.

Read this book. But be prepared to cry, to laugh, to be inspired and to grow in consciousness.

...

Stephen Simon's book is an inspiring read. Right from the beginning, you realize that this author, a producer and film executive with over twenty-five years experience in the Hollywood arena, is writing from the heart. He is passionate about awakening us to the spiritual cinema genre, movies that contain spiritual messages. Although this is a genre as yet not recognized by Hollywood, Simon maintains that these movies already exist, and indeed have done so for quite some time. He takes us on an entertaining, intimate, thought provoking and often humourous journey through a personal selection of seventy or so such films. Rest assured that this is not a book that critiques film, rather it illuminates. Perhaps Neale Donald Walsch says it best in his forward to the book: "If you love movies, you're going to love this book. If you love life, you're going to adore it. And if you love a good story, get set, because you're about to hear some great ones." I thoroughly loved reading "The Force is With You", and I think you will too.

Author Stephen Simon writes an excellent book about spiritualism and the messages in movies; movies that speak to the emotional context of a person's soul. I realized that the messages Mr. Simon writes about the very things that I found missing in most mainstream films. (Thank God I live in city where art houses exist, but I realize not everyone has that luxury) Finally someone was able to show that there is more going on up on the big screen than what meets the eye. Every movie that he writes about in his book is in some way or another a winner, regardless of what it did in box office receipts. Still this book is a lot more than just a much of plot synopsis and message of some really great movies. Mr. Simon writes about his life growing up in movie industry. His battle to get both "Somewhere in Time" and "What Dreams May Become" (both based on books by author Richard Matheson-a great writer himself) made into films. His elation of getting both films made and then watching as the critics ripped both of them both apart , only to become resurrected and warmly welcomed on cable, video and DVD by thousands of people years later. Plus, his very telling reasoning on why mainstream movies have to stay "commercial," he writes volumes in a few pages that will generate debate for years to come. Whatever your spiritual beliefs, I think there is something in this book for every movie lover.

This is new movement and a new way of thinking about movies and I'll gladly be in the front row watching as those beautiful, special images and messages flicker over me.

Hallelujah! We finally have a book that's dedicated to covering the newly emerging category of spiritual cinema! THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is written by Hollywood insider Stephen Simon, who writes straight from his heart about the significant messages in more than 70 movies. Spiritual Cinema is all about exploring the meaning of love, life, death, time, and space -- which are the topics I most enjoy seeing in the movies. Most of my favorite movies are included here: The Matrix, Sliding Doors, Somewhere in Time, The Kid, Frequency, Star Wars, Lost Horizon, The Sixth Sense, Ghost, What Dreams May Come, Defending Your Life, Groundhog Day, Contact, Phenomenon, Powder, Being There, The Truman Show, Sleepless in Seattle, Family Man, and It's A Wonderful Life.

What I love best about THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is the way it so clearly conveys a sense of hope, inspiration, and purposefulness about the way humanity learns about its worst fears and greatest hopes through stories. Yes, we love to vividly imagine the end of the world... but we also love to dream of ways we can find solutions to our biggest problems. We know that it's not easy being more spiritually and psychically evolved... but we love to imagine how those of us who are different can be accepted in mainstream society.

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU is priceless for clarifying what the new genre of "Spiritual Cinema" is all about, and for providing an inspiring list of the most spiritual movies of all time. It is my deepest hope that this book will help establish awareness in film-makers everywhere of the importance of making spiritual movies, as it helps movie-goers better understand the significance of the movies they see.

I apologize up front to those who can't stand anything negative, but hey, someone has to speak up and make all you positive types feel superior, right?

First let me say I enjoyed the book. If you love movies, you will also enjoy the book. It did need a good editor, though, as it had misspellings, repetition, bad grammar and even attributed FDR's famous "fear" quote to Churchill. Do you think I'm a bad person for pointing that out? Then you're a bad person for having thought that. Ha!

Lastly, its unrelenting positive tone drove me a little bananas. Why? It did not reflect life and so Stephen Simon did not feel authentic. I don't think life on Earth is ever going to be 100% positive. Why? Because life would die. One hand clapping produces nothing but silence. We humans happen to have two hands. For those of us who are not saints nor are aspiring to be, there is good and bad. Yeah, it's all relative, but hey, it's a structure that helps you keep your balance. Don't take it all so seriously. To read a book in which nothing but good things are said about everybody, with the usual (and constant) Hollywood adjectives: amazing, unbelievable, wonderful, fantastic, etc., is to find one's teeth suddenly coated up with sugar and gagging on it.

You can say that someone did a bad job without condemning them, can't you? You can point out that someone made a mistake without wanting to throw them away, right? This is Earth, folks. It's all about context. We have sunshine and rain. We also have drought and floods. To point out these latter conditions does not make you negative or unspiritual. But we are in the movie business so we don't want to offend anyone. Fine. Here's your heads up. With this book you'll find yourself in a rowboat with only one oar. You'll go in circles, but will still enjoy the ride.

This was probably one of the best Sabrina books I've read. I liked it a lot. If you can't figure out what to read, read this book!

This book is a good book,Because it's funny at times and it's a kind of book that you can just sit down and readwithout having to worry about what'sgoing to happen next!It has so much creativity in it thats why you don't have to worry.This book is about a teenage witch that is living with her two aunts,Zelda and Hilda.She is having a hard time these days especially being a teenager and a witch at the same time.it's hard for her to just get through the day without anyone figuring out that shes a witch.If i had to rate this book eith a 1to10 i would give it a 8.

A bucket on fruit punch in her head? An avalanche of Popcorn, in her locker? A cold banana pudding on her bed? A TOOTHPASTE ON A TOILET SEAT? Now that's a definite "eww!". All this happened to Sabrina the day the new exchange student from China named Mei Hua came in Westbridge. She, with her Mona Lisa smile looked like a nice shy girl but... yeah right! She has a big crush on Harvey Kinkle and she has Libby Chessler and her family as family guest in Westbridge. Doesn't mean she's mean like Libby, but she's a mischievious fox according to Grandmother Chu. Sabrina is on the pursuit to get the fox from Chinatown, New York City to the Great Wall of China. Two thumbs up great book filled with magic and laughter. Also recommend: Harvest Moon, I'll Zap Manatthan and Eight Spells A Week (Super Edition)

The best! I don't blame Sabrina for being jealous- Harvey's a HUNK!

This book is yet again another fabulous Sabrina. In this book Sabrina is hit by some bad luck and this all happened when a new exchange student comes to Westbridge. Mei seems pretty nice and she has an effect on Harvey. Sabrina knows something is up and she's going to find out!

No, i don't but if you buy my book ill send you a free limited addition oversized postcard! Deathday by Eugene Bruce, and honestly futurama is far far superior but being an impoverished author i won't apologise for shamelessly promoting my debut novel Deathday by Eugene Bruce - I'd very much appreciate you checking it out that's DEATHDAY by EUGENE BRUCE - I love you America!

Not much else to say except that if you can find it at a proper price, like $1, get it.

That's not to slam the artwork or intellectual property put into the calendar -- this is the best TV-themed calendar in quite some time. But it wasn't even printed in the US... Other calendars are and cost the same price. (Oh my!) But I digress. Just make sure the inks aren't colorfast or won't poison you if you touch it and all will be well in the land. And don't lick it either...

The images are awesome. Each month shows a different spoof movie poster with Futurama characters. Included in the center is a full poster for "The Bendernator" starring Bender Bending Rodriguez. Best calendar I ever bought!

Replacing my 2007 Futurama calendar is this 2008 Futurama calendar. While last years seemed to use some odd scenes from the show that I could barely remember, this one has original artwork inspired by classic movies with Futurama characters in them. Very funny. The work is great.

The Futurama wall calendar is always of the highest quality. I order one every year, and thoroughly enjoy it. Every time I look at it I find something new in the current month's picture. Totally warped and brilliant!

The Garfield comic strip about a male loser who owns a fat cat and an ignorant, slobbery dog strikes a responsive chord in cat owners everywhere. It is not because they identify with a man who cannot do anything right or recognize their pet dog. It is because Garfield is the exaggerated epitome of a cat whose life revolves around eating, sleeping and getting into things. I have owned approximately ten cats in my life and I recognized a bit of Garfield in every one of them. I enjoyed this book, even though the actions of his owner reach beyond the absurd.

Unfortunatly, this was actually when Garfield books were starting to fall a bit flat on ideas and the 1990's books weren't as good compared to the mid to late 1980's books but this book is still very funny, but overall if you're a Garfield fan, this book is highly recommended.

"Garfield Says a Mouthful, No 21" wasn't the funniest Garfield book I've read, but it's still entertaining. I nice addition to a collection and a must for Garfield fans. I recommend.

Out of all the Garfield books I think I liked this one the most. But still I give all of them 5 big gold stars! -Kacey 5th grade

Everybody out there keep buying Garfield books! They can be worth a lot of money someday and can become collector's items! I'm always going to keep all of mine so when I have kids they can read them!

this reviewer's praise comes from the heart when I say "bravo". I am not a huge fan of pop culture or the following it has (having had my gay card twice suspended for possessing a "less-than-acceptable" level of movie, broadway, and Camp knowledge), yet I cannot imagine any other calling for Mr. Zippy Bergund. His knowledge of movies and every detail within them has astounded me for years. Kudos to Jason and Bev for creating an all-in-one guide that even I can understand. Finally - a book that contains humor, camp, guidance, tons of trivia and of course, advice from behind the bar. Cheers!

The Hulk as a gay movie? Hmmmm...wait until those Greek lawyers get a whiff of that. Maybe The Hulk isn't gay per se, but the transformation he undergoes (personally I think Howard Dean is The Hulk in disguise) is something everyone can relate to, gay or straight. I love the way each of these movies, from Mommie Dearest to Norma Rae to All About Eve, can reflect pivotal points in our lives. I also appreciate that Jason Bergund, one-half of the real-life "Will & Grace" team that wrote this book, comes out in favor of social responsibility attacking "Queer as Folk" for only portraying the seamy underbelly of gay life (anonymous sex, drug abuse and endless clubbing aren't something to aspire to in any group). You go, girl!

This book talks directly to our fabulous gay souls. It matches up movies with moods like a perfect date! Aside from really good movie advice, the wit, humor and various fun parts (like recipes)make this book an easy reading experience. Definitely worth every penny!!!

This is an extremely entertaining and amusing book, perfect for anyone who has trouble finding that movie-night-feel-good-rental when you're in the mood for some queer therapy. Not only for gay people, the book lists movies, recipes, and little indulgences that will pamper and pacify even the most stressed out straights on gays. With sections dedicated to Judy, Bette, Madonna, the book streams a wide timeline, so there's something for everyone, from, "Mommie Dearest" (my personal favorite in which you learn some interesting facts about the film - like the fact the studio NEVER intended for it to be such a cult camp classic!) to "The Hours" to "Camp" and so on. Jason's Barmacy brings out the bartender in us all with the same ease it takes Omarosa to be hated, and Bev's pampering rituals will leave you feeling refreshed (and looking hot too!). However, I think the next book should have a cover photo of Mr. Bergund in his alleged "lavaliere - all the way down to his waist"!

Three words: Fun Fun Fun!! A must have for gay movie buffs and novices alike. A great lite read for the summer - it catered to my every ADD need, as I could pick it up and flip around to my hearts desire... I truly enjoyed how co-authors Jason Bergund and Beverly West summed up my personal favorites with wit and hilarity, and then had me rushing to the video store for a few films on my "to-see" list. This manual or "bible", as one may dub, is full of chuckles, fun tips, helpful hints, along with a plethora of random information that had me taking notes in case "Celebrity Jeopardy" ever came a knockin'. ("What is Velma Kelly's real name?" (...)

Berg does a great job, and the subject is absolutely a fascinating one.

What a story! A remarkably easy to read account of Sam Goldwyn's rags-to-riches life. Did you know "Goldwyn" was not his real name? Did you know he was thrown out of the MGM company after a few years?! Goldwyn worked at some stage or other with just about every famous name in the business, and also fell out with just about everybody he ever met. A cantankerous and perverse character who loved contradicting people. When people quit because he made their lives intolerable, he sometimes felt personally attacked and betrayed. The book is full of colourful characters, and Scott Berg has done a wonderful job of using quotations and dialogues to really bring these people alive: Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Lillian Hellman, William Wyler, Billy Wilder, and the remarkable Hilda Berl. It reads like a movie! By tracing Goldwyn's history, the book also covers the story of many of the other famous movie companies that are still famous today: United Artists, Universal, Paramount, Warner Brothers, RKO and of course MGM. Goldwyn also came across many young actors and actresses before they were stars: Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, David Niven, Marlon Brando, John Wayne, etc. And of course the famous Goldwyn malapropisms are here, though limited to the ones actually traceable (as far as possible) to Goldwyn himself: "Anyone who sees a psychiatrist should have their head examined! Include me out! A verbal agreement isn't worth the paper it's written on," to pick just a few.

A remarkably well-written and well-researched biography that brings this vigorous, infuriating, yet oddly attractive ugly duckling to vibrant life. This must rank amongst the best biographies, up there with Ron Chernow's book about the Morgans. Anyone at all interested in movies and movie history will enjoy this.

A. Scott Berg does an excellent job in capturing the life of one of the American cinema's first industry moguls. From his tough beginning as an immigrant to his phenomenal success as an independent producer, this entertaining and fascinating biography delves deeply into the man with the "Goldwyn touch." Berg also effectively captures the spirit of early cinema and its rapid rise in American culture. Along the way, we also learn about many of Hollywood's colorful personalites, including Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford. This book is a must for any fan of early American motion pictures.

I picked this book up at the library not knowing what to expect and was amazed! Although it is indeed a biography of Sam Goldwyn, it is also a very well told piece about the studio system and Hollywood in the first half of the century (with an emphasis on the 20's) Not only insightful but entertaining; it makes for a read more gossipy than the trashiest celeb autobiography while maintaining class and style.

I recommend this book to anyone the least bit interested in the classic hollywood days. It is the best book I've read thus far on the era, and it will get you down to the video store hunting down old movies just to see the actors and actresses you've read about.

Great book! I enjoyed reading about a man who literally came from poverty to be on of Hollywood's pioneer filmmakers. He was a rough man to work with no doubt, but knew what worked and lasted in an industry that is hard to last in! A. Scott Berg did a wonderful job of writing a respectful book about this man!

I have admired Grace Kelly all my life and this is by far the most beautiful book about her. The pictures are all stunning, and truly depict what a glamourous and classy woman she was. There is not a great deal of information - or pictures - of Grace, and this compilation is simply wonderful to look at. Definately recommended for any fan.

Jenny Curtis' "Grace Kelly: A Life in Pictures" is a must for Grace fans. Lovely reproductions of some of Kelly's most enchanting photos fill the book. It is a pleasant addition to any collection, and it is exactly what it is entitled, a life in pictures...nothing more and yet, nothing less.

Along with Ann-Margret, I firmly believe Grace Kelly is the most beautiful woman to ever grace the silver screen. As a kid, I had a huge crush on her, and was sad to learn she was dead (a scenario similar to The Who song "Pictures Of Lily", but that's a whole differnt story). YHowever, I was still transfixed at how beautiful she was, and I bought this book looking for great photos of her.
This book does not disappoint. The photos in this book paint a far more entetaining and accurate portrait of the life of this beautiful and talented woman who became a princess who devoted her life to charity. The photos in this book are breathtaking. It's sad to read this book, not only because you'll be reminded of her tragic death in 1982, but also because it you'll remember who elegant and classy Grace was, and then you'll remeber how trashy all the "beauties" of modern Hollywood are, and you'll be reminded of the steap decline the entertainment industry today. Even so, a defintite must have.

Lovely pictures and interesting text make this book well worth buying. It showcases Grace's life from early childhood to her untimely death.

There are far too few books available about Grace Kelly, but this is the cream of the crop. Not only is it bargain priced, it has over 120 high quality photos covering all aspects of her life, from her childhood to her tragic death. Despite her rather short film career, she'll always be remembered for her great performances in classics like "High Noon", "High Society", "Dial M for Murder", "Rear Window", "To Catch a Thief", and especially her oscar-winning role in "The Country Girl". Just when she was America's leading lady she threw her career away for a marriage to Prince Rainer of Monaco. Her charm, elegance, and incredible beauty captured the hearts of people all over the world. This book is a definite must-have for all her fans whose hearts are still captured!

No one does medieval mysteries better than P.C. Doherty! In HANGMAN'S TALE, part of his "Canterbury Tales" series, Doherty relates the hair-raising tale told by Simon Cotterill, the 'Carpenter' character from Chaucer's classic, to his fellow pilgrims enroute to Canterbury. It's one great read!

Though a big fan of Doherty's work, I was blissfully unaware of the Canterbury Tales series, which began in 1995, until I purchased a remaindered copy of HANGMAN'S TALE from Edmund Hamilton. My loss!

A would-be carpenter, Cotterill's life changes dramatically after he joins the band of Gloucestermen responsible for public hangings. When the crew hangs three witches who are part of a vicious coven preying on Gloucester residents, things go really, REALLY wrong and the hangmen find themselves facing the wrath of three not-so-dead witches. It then becomes a race against time as Cotterill & Co. struggle to break the coven and unmask its leader before they perish at the hands of that unholy group. The end result is a scary, spooky, page-turner of a tale. Great stuff!

If HANGMAN'S TALE is representative of the series, I need to read the other volumes asap! And so do you!

Paul Doherty was born in Middlesbrough and is the consummate professional when it comes to writing historical mystery novels. I for one do not know how he can be so prolific with his offering of books and yet make sure that each of them is well researched. Whether they be 13th, 14th, or fifteenth century they are always true to the period. He also writes about Ancient Egypt and Alexander the Great.

A group of pilgrims have joined together, both for company and also for protection, as the roads and forests are littered with thieves and rogues, only too willing to relieve a traveller of their purse and most probably their lives as well. What adds even more spice to the journey is that several of the pilgrims know their fellow travellers but are not letting the fact become public knowledge.

The pilgrims have agreed that at the end of each day's journey when they stop at an inn or other resting place one of them will entertain the others with a tale. Whether the story is true or not only the storyteller will know.

During their journey to Canterbury the Pilgrims stumble upon an execution. Hangings are a common occurrence in these times, but this one affects the carpenter very badly and leaves him in a dead faint.
That evening, he narrates the tale of a Gloucester hangman whose involvement in the secretive punishment of three witches unleashes a vicious spate of revenge killings. Is this just a tale drawn from the carpenter's fertile mind or is the tale true and he was in some way involved in the punishment of the so called witches?

I don't usually like period mysteries, because they often seem to have a certain self-consciousness about them in how they work to include period details, speech patterns, etc. Plus, I always wonder if the manners and habits of thought of whatever the era is would have allowed the characters to act as they do - it seems that often these book feature characters with quite modern ways of thinking that can seem out of place. So I'm glad I overlooked my prejudice and read this book. I find that the time period adds color and meaning to the tale, but it's the human interest that seems timeless, and caught my interest. The author's knowledge of the period allows him to integrate the characters' different habits and customs into the story in a way that reveals medieval thinking and ideas while pointing out the fact that human nature doesn't change. The mystery itself is fascinating - I couldn't put the book down - and I learned quite a bit about the society of the time without even noticing it! Very enjoyable, and it prompted me to look for the earlier titles in the series, all which are well worth reading.

Paul Doherty's Canterbury Tales of Mystery and Murder series is probably my favourite historical mystery series. I look forward to each and every installment and am usually very disappointed that, because he is a very prolific writer with so many different mystery series in the works, new installments in this particular series take a while to be published. For those readers who are not familiar with the series, I will attempt to paint in some background details about the series. The series is based on Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales;" the pilgrims are all bound for Canterbury and in order to make the journey more agreeable, everyone has agreed to take turns at telling two kinds of tales each day -- a merry tale or fable during the day, and an eerie tale of darkness at night. Doherty's series revolves around the mysterious tales of murder and evil that are told each night. Another gimmick involved that makes this series all the more interesting and intriguing is that the pilgrims are connected to each other in some way or the other. So far, there have been four books in the series. Each has been a truly absorbing and chilling read, and a real page turner. And "The Hangman's Hymn" (the fifth intallment) was no exception to this rule!

The pilgrims are now deep in the Kent country, when they stumble across the chief tipstaff to the lords of assize about to dispense justice by having a few felons hanged at the place of their crime. The law of the times demand that because the pilgrims have chanced across this, they stand witness to the deed. One of the pilgrims however, the cheerful dark haired carpenter is so affected by the sight, that he faints from the horror. That night, as the pilgrims take their rest at St. Bardolph's Priory, the others quiz the carpenter about his faint-heartedness; he in turn tells a hair raising tale of horror and pure evil -- about a poor carpenter, Simon Cotterill who comes to Glouchester for love's sake, who ends up joining the local hangman's crew, and who becomes involved in hunting down and killing a coven of murderous witches who are terrorizing the Glouchester country side. A tale of such darkness and evil, that the pilgrims are held completely spellbound, even as they wonder to themselves if the tale is a true one and if the carpenter is the unfortunate Simon Cotterill...

From the very first page, I was hooked. Yes, some of the plot twists were fairly obvious; but the charm of this series (and much of Doherty's writing style) is the manner in which he tells the tale. Paul Doherty has a fairly compelling and engaging prose style, one that keeps your interest and makes you read on in order to see how things pan out and what will happen next. I really love this series. Each and every installment has chilled; and I've looked forward to discovering which pilgrim is tied to the other and how. I have yet to be disappointed by this series, and cannot recommend it highly enough. (And if you have not had the good fortune to read any of the previous installments, the paperbacks can be easily purchased through amazon.co.uk. Unfortunately they are hard to come by in the US). My advice is to wait until it's dark, and then settle down to enjoy this creepy and superbly entertaining mystery novel, hopefullt without too many distractions!

Paul Doherty's Canterbury Tales series continues marching on to its path of medieval mystery success! In his latest episode, "The Hangman's Hymn," Doherty singles out the Carpenter to be the teller of these "tall tales"! In fact, so far in this series, this one, the fifth, seems to be the best written, although perhaps not the most suspenseful.

The merry group of pilgrims, numbering 29 in all if we recall our English lit days and according to Geoffrey Chaucer, are on their way to Canterbury to pay homage to their beloved Saint Thomas a Becket. These pilgrims have accepted the challenge by the host of the Tabard Inn, one Harry Bailey, to help pass the time by telling four stories each, two on the way and the others in return. All of this is to be narrated by Chaucer himself.

Doherty steps in to help "the father of English literature," some seven centuries later, by relating more of these tales and in so doing deserves much praise, not only for his abilities to capture the "spirit" of Chaucerian England but in presenting a modern version that easily holds the readers' attention.

The carpenter's tale is a tale of gruesome, frightening murders, of hangings, of poisons, of evil incarnate, of witchcraft, and even a little romance! On their way to Canterbury the group comes upon a legal hanging, which causes a quick reaction of Simon Cotterill, the carpenter.

As the pilgrims pause for the night, the carpenter begins to tell his story. This is no tale told by an idiot, but it is full of sound and fury, of deceit, of bravery-indeed, it's a story not easily put aside. In the story, three witches are hanged and, before their hanging, vow to extract vengeance on all who were involved in their execution. Murder and mayhem, as they say, follow. Doherty's story, of course, is a mystery and with his usual cleverness he's able to bring the culprits-the real ones-to justice.

The other pilgrims are uneasy over this story and even begin to wonder if it's true, adding to the mystique of this series! Doherty seems to work simultaneously with a number of historical mystery series, from Alexander the Great to Chaucer, and each is well worth the read!

My daughter loves the colour and depth of this calender...looking forward to next years as well.

The pictures in this calendar are excellent! A must-have for the serious Harry Potter fanatic. It also comes with a few sheets of Harry Potter stickers that you can use to decorate your calendar. :) Great buy!

The Harry Potter Chamber Of Secrets calander is really great for anyone of any age because it has plenty of room for writing events for everyday and there are cool stickers and pictures for everymonth! This is a great calander for kids who love Harry Potter and have busy scheduals! I hope you buy it and love it!

Ooooooooo-kay, I've never reviewed a calendar before, so let's see how this goes.

The twelve months portray scenes that are in near chronological order of the movie and starts from Harry and Ron's trip in the flying car. The photos are from key points in the movie, such as the Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Quidditch match, with Harry and Draco facing each other like a Rocky poster. With the exception of June, Harry is in each month. June is Fawkes's honorary month. Key text is included, describing the photo or theme.

There is an object in the foreground, off to the side of each month in keeping with the theme of the picture, be it Hedwig, the Polyjuice Potion, the Sorting Hat, or Ron's cellotaped wand.

By the way, as a bonus treat, inbetween the picture of Fawkes and the June months, there is a special page with eighteen stickers. What stickers? Well, framed portraits of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, the Hogwarts badge, Fawkes's head, Hedwig, the Golden Snitch, three coins (a Galleon, Knut, and Sickle), the respective symbols of each house (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff, along with their respective animals), the brown case containing the quaffle and bludgers, a glass of polyjuice potion, something that looks like a starfish inside a jar, presumably Ron and Harry's luggage, sundry chemicals, and the logo for the movie.

For what this year is turning out to be, Harry and company is one surefire antidote for not evoking a much-needed do-over clause for bad years.

This 2003 installment of the Harry Potter movie calendar is much nicer than the 2002 version. The pictures are much crisper and the photographic composition better captures the emotion of various scenes from the movie. A bonus with this calendar is the set of 18 stickers that are included. These stickers (on silver background) include pictures of Ron, Harry, Hermione, Fawkes, Hedwig, and the 4 house crests, among others. This calendar makes a handsome, colorful wall display.

Well.. I have not actually opened and tried this product yet.It looks very good. I have put it away for a Christmas gift for my 1 yr old grandaughter. She LOVES this show.. and it is kinda tricky to find good merchandise from it. A lot of the plush available does not really look like the characters. This book looks very good...And I am hoping for the best on it. I give it 5 stars based on appearance and true to the show artwork.

My 19 Month old has loved Big, Big, World since the first morning he heard the happy Big, Big, World intro theme song on PBS kids when he was 5 Months old. He was sitting near the television in his bouncy chair kicking & fussing away and all of a sudden , I swear, it was like a calming hypnosis took over. This book is as beautiful as the program: Sweet Characters, Great clip-it music, and an adventure under way. When my son is pressing the sound bites while flipping the pages, all I see on his face is a Big, Big smile.

We love this book. Since my daugher was two weeks old we would sit and watch this show. The colors are great for them to watch at that age. Even now she will stop in her tracks to watch it. The book is great she sits with it each day and pushes the buttons to listen to hear the character voices and sounds. Definitely reccommend this book.

Exactly as it looks. My daughter loves to push the buttons and hear the characters speak / make noise.

My niece just turned one and she loves Big Big World. There are not a lot of toys out there with this theme, so I was very excited to find this sound book. I got her this book and the dancing snook for her birthday. Both items she absolutely loved. She can hit the sound buttons on the book, even though she's not quite ready to sit and listen to us reading a whole book yet. She carries the dancing snook like it is a stuffed animal, randomly hugging it when she gets the urge. I recommend both for a child who really likes Big, Big World.