Category: Netflix

May 8, 2015

Grace and Frankie, A Netflix Exclusive! #StreamTeam

With so much stress from life (work, finances, health), when I come home I want to watch television shows that make me laugh out loud, that make me think and sometimes that make me cry (but in a good way!).

Grace and Frankie, a Netflix original series, stars the hilarious Jane Fonda (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie). These two women have their life turned upside down when their husbands reveal they are gay and are leaving the two women for each other. This unlikely pair form a unique bond when they face their uncertain future together. Together they discover a new definition of family with laughter, tears, and plenty of mood enhancers along the way!

Grace and Frankie is from executive producers, Marta Kauffman (Friends) and Howard Morris (Home Improvement) and takes on aging in a hilarious new way (from joint pain to blind dates) and how life’s little turning points show us who we are.

Jane Fonda is one of my favourite people to watch. She has this way about her that makes you love her, hate her and laugh at the same time. She pulls off this role beautifully while Lily Tomlin is her perfect counter part. These two women, who hate each other with such passion, are thrown together in the worst of situations. I am still laughing as I think about the moment when the men tell them they are leaving them – Jane was at her finest!

While a comedy, Grace and Frankie, paints a picture of life how it really is. Life can be beautiful, ugly at times and can throw curve balls out of nowhere. When you feel that you are finally on the right path, life can just turn you right around. This series shows you how it is and will leave you laughing, crying and gasping at times. With a few swear words and mild inappropriate terms, it is definitely for older teens and adults but it will win over your heart.

Grace and Frankie premieres on Netflix May 8th,2015 so get ready for some good laughs with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin coming your way today!

Disclosure: I am a Netflix #Streamteam member and received early access to this series. All opinions expressed are my own.

April 15, 2015

But It Was Just a Little White Lie? #StreamTeam

“You better be good or Santa won’t come visit you”.

“If you tell a lie, your nose will grow just like Pinocchio”.

“Mommy can see out of the back of her head, so watch out!”.

We all tell lies. Sometimes they are little ones to avoid hurting someone’s feeling, others keep the magic of holidays going for their childhood and other times they are major lies that hurt everyone involved.

While it may seem like we foster a culture of lying to protect those around us, I want my children to understand that a lie hurts, no matter how good their intentions might be. I also want my children to understand that they should come to me with anything that they did. I have always encouraged and told my children, while I may be upset at the situation I will never be upset with them. Lying will only make things worse.

One of my favourite movies of all time, Mean Girls, is the perfect example of how those little lies can spin out of control. What starts out as a little bit of a fun game quickly turns into cruel and unintentional (at times) lies and actions that hurt everyone involved. This is an important lesson for children, teens and adults! What may start out as a small lie can quickly turn around to damage your reputation and more importantly the trust others have in you.

Another great flick you can catch on Netflix this month, Just Go With It starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston.

Oh Adam! In this film he is just full of nonsense (but oh so funny!!) – talk about a serial liar! But it has an ending that will make your heart warm inside.

iCarly is a huge hit in our house (although I am beginning to wonder if my boys just like the two main actresses!). This series is full of moral lessons for your children that comes across in a fun and light tone.

How do you teach your children about lying and the consequences that come along with this?

Disclosure: I am a #StreamTeam member and receive special perks associated with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.

March 20, 2015

Get Science Inspired with Netflix! #StreamTeam

March Break is here!! WOOHOO!! Time to spend some time with our kids doing what they love best – crafts, experiments and baking! March also signals the start of Science Fair season. The subject of science can broken down into three categories: natural sciences (biology, fundamental forces), formal sciences (math, logic) and social sciences (human behaviour and societies).

Netflix helps us get our creative juices flowing this month with plenty of educational and science based films that inspire, educate and entertain. The hardest part will be choosing what to watch first!

Why not start with one of everyone’s favourite topics – volcanoes. Deadliest Volcanoes explores the wonder of these sleeping giants that millions of people live in the shadow of. This show follows scientists around the world exploring volcanoes, the likelihood of eruption, when it may and how deadly an eruption could be.

Some other great titles for your older child and yourself: Nova: Hunting the Elements, Cosmos and Let Your Mind Wonder.

Maybe you have a young crowd and the wonders of Miss Frizzle’s bus may suit them better. The Magic School Bus (my favourite show as a child!) returns!

Some other great children titles: Sid the Science Kid, Fetch! with Ruff and Animal Mechanicals.

Follow up these great shows with your own science experiment at home by making a volcano erupt! You can find the whole experiment instructions on Meet the Dubiens or you can follow my mini version using three ingredients.

You will need:

plastic water bottle
six drops of dish washing detergent
two tbsp of baking soda
one cup on vinegar

Directions:

Place you plastic water bottle in a baking pan to capture the eruption (and save yourself a major cleanup!). Fill your water bottle about 3/4 with warm water and add the dish washing detergent and baking soda.

Slowly add the vinegar to set off your eruption!

What activities have you been up to this March Break?

Disclosure: I am member of the Netflix StreamTeam and receive perks with this affiliation. All opinions expressed are my own.

March 6, 2015

Netflix Canada Expands with New Shows! #StreamTeam

Netflix is expanding their line up of shows, this time for kids!

In 2011, Netflix launched a dedicated section for children twelve and under, featuring televisions shows and movies from PBS, Mattel, Hasbro, Lego and Scholastic (all commercial free!). In 2014, Walt Disney announced a multi-year agreement with Netflix *yay* for first run Disney live action and animated features. Starting this year, theatrically released films will be available to Netflix Canada members around eight months after they leave theatres, awesome right?! Dreamworks is also creating three hundred hours of original children’s shows exclusively for Netflix.

Coming in 2016:

Bottersnikes and Gumbles

A fast paced comedy series that follows three young Gumbles – Tink, Bounce and Willi – as they bounce about and play while avoiding getting tin-canned by their lazy neighbours the Bottersnikes. This thirteen episode series was developed from the book and will be coming to Netflix in the Spring of 2016.

Danger Mouse

The world’s greatest super spy, Danger Mouse, returns in this dashing animated series that features all of the classics characters, catchphrases and comedy that made it an 80’s favourite. With the world in danger, it is up to the small mouse to save the day. Originally a loose parody of British spy fiction, this series features British actor and comedian, Stephen Fry. This will premiere in Spring of 2016.

Some Assembly Required

As the new owner of KnickKnack Toys, Jarvis hires a group of his friends from school to help him build toys. This series follows their day-to-day antics as they build toys and work on their friendship. This series will also premiere in the Spring of 2016.

Lots of fantastic shows are coming soon to Netflix!

March 5, 2015

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt #StreamTeam

The Babysitter’s Club. Word Up. Light Up Shoes.

Welcome to a blast of the past with the Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt!

Synopsis

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is brought to us by Tina Fey and Robert Carlock. This half hour single camera comedy series stars Ellie Kemper as Kimmy, who escapes a doomsday cult and decides to reclaim her life and start over in New York City.

Armed with just a backpack, light up sneakers and a couple of way past due library books, Kimmy is ready to take on a world that she didn’t even think existed anymore. Wide eyed but resilient, nothing is going to stand in her way.

The thirteen episode series, produced by Universal Television, also stars Jane Krakowski, Tituss Burgess, Carol Kane and more. Fey and Carlock serve as executive producers along with David Milner and Jeff Richmond.

My Thoughts

I love a good comedy especially after a long day at work. All I want to do is come home and watch something that makes me laugh so hard I cry.

When I read the synopsis of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (and heard Tina Fey was involved in the production) I knew that this was going to be a must watch series. I was not disappointed! The shows run roughly for twenty-three to thirty minutes.

The first episode explains how Kimmy ended up in her current situation (the cult) and how she escaped her situation. The first episode was a little slower (giving a lot of background information) but the humour definitely picks up in the second episode and only gets better as the episodes continue. In the second episode we are shown more of the personalities behind Kimmy, her room-mate Tituss as well as her new employer and her family. Using common misconceptions (the young and terrible stepmother, the homosexual room-mate, the wild and angry step daughter) The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt offers up good laughs with fantastic reminders that kindness goes a long way. Kimmy is on a mission to make it in New York and help each one of those around her. This Netflix series is on par (humour wise) with The Mindy Project.

The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt premieres tomorrow (March 6th) on Netflix!

Disclosure: I am a member of the Netflix #StreamTeam and received early access to this series in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.