Book Review: Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos by Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow Mysteries #3)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Laughs and murder
Cons: Too busy laughing to come up with a con
The Bottom Line:
A reenactment
Sets the stage for new murder
Laughs and twists abound




And You Thought the Original Battle of Yorktown was Hard

As you might guess from the title, Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos, this is a fun, lighthearted mystery. It's the third in the Meg Langslow series and the first to make more then a passing reference to her profession.

Meg is a blacksmith and she's participating in a period craft fair as part of the annual reenactment of the Battle of Yorktown, which decided the American Revolution in our favor. Her boyfriend, Michael, is also there, but he's playing one of the soldiers in the reenactment. Michael's mother is in charge of keeping everything authentic, and Meg volunteers to kept an eye on her fellow craftspeople to get on Mrs. Waterston's good side. But being the go between just might be more then Meg can handle. Especially since her boyfriend's mother is cracking down on anything and everything. Meanwhile, Michael wants more from their relationship, and Meg is shying away from any form of commitment.

But it's her brother Rob that really brings trouble to the festivities. Someone is interested in buying his computer game, and Rob has set up the meeting for that weekend. But Roger Benson has a shady reputation at best, and when this computer guy turns up murdered in Meg's booth, the list of suspects is long. Not that she needs any more to do this weekend, but now Meg must solve this crime before the police arrest one of her friends.

As with the others is the series, this book has quite a bit going on beside the mystery. That keeps the mystery from being the focus at the beginning, but there is so much going on to keep you engaged you really don't care. When the mystery does get started, it pushes the sub-plots back to their rightful places. It provides some great twists and turns and a thrilling climax.

The humor comes from the characters. There's Meg's father, who insists his air tight alibi is full of holes. And I can't leave out Cousin Horace who wears his ever present gorilla costume in the middle of the battle. Even the over the top characters are very well defined. Obviously, we know the series regulars well, but the new characters are just as real and engaging.

Everything is held together by the wonderful writing. It's easy to read, and Meg's first person narration adds just the right sense of fun to the absurd happenings of the book.

There are lots of balls in the air here. While I enjoyed the first two books, this is the first in the series where I believe author Donna Andrews got it absolutely right. The comic and mysterious are perfectly blended for a great read.

If you are looking for a light read that will keep you guessing while making you laugh, you've come to the right place. While it is obviously best to read the series in order, you won't miss much if you jump in with Revenge of the Wrought-Iron Flamingos.

And if you are looking for more fun, here are the Meg Langslow Mysteries in order.

Book Review: Murder with Puffins by Donna Andrews (Meg Langslow #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Better mystery still served with lots of laughs

Cons: A little slow at the beginning

The Bottom Line:

Bird watchers, a storm

No romantic getaway

But we get the laughs

Hurricanes, Puffins, and Murder

For Murder with Puffins, the second book in the Meg Langslow series, Meg heads off to Maine with her boyfriend Michael. The two have been overwhelmed by family and friends and just want some time alone. When Meg remembers the family cabin on the island of Monhegan just off the coast, she thinks she's found the perfect solution. Unfortunately, the rest of her family also decided that this was the perfect weekend for some rest and relaxation. Further cooling the romance, the island has been inundated with a bunch of birders who came to watch the puffins. And Hurricane Gladys has decided to visit the area, stranding everyone on the island for the next few days.

As if the weekend needed any further complications, a local celebrity is found murdered near his home on the island. He may have been well known, but he wasn't well liked. The list of enemies includes just about everyone on the island. The police zero in on Meg's dad as their chief suspect, however. Meg knows her dad couldn't have done it, so she sets out searching the rain soaked island looking for clues. Can she solve the crime before the ferry resumes service after the storm?

The first book in the series was greeted with loads of praise and won several awards. This book was greeted less enthusiastically. I actually feel just the opposite about the two. I felt the mystery in the first was rather lame and played second fiddle to the antics of the large cast of characters. I felt the problems were addressed with this one.

Granted, the plot does still start out slowly, giving us time to get to know the players and set up the situation. But once the body is found, things start moving very quickly. There are several plot twists along the way to the satisfying conclusion.

Now that's not to say that the humor suffers. While it's not quite as prominent as in the first, there are still plenty of absurd situations and quips to laugh at here. And Meg's first person narration adds to the laughs as we get her droll observations on the events.

The main characters are alive and interesting as well. Meg's family may be eccentric, but they aren't caricatures. The main suspects in the mystery are also well drawn. The majority of the bird watchers play the part of extras. They can come across as shallow, but they play such a minor part that it's a minor issue.

Anyone looking for a fun, light-hearted mystery need look no further then Murder with Puffins. A visit with Meg and her family also means laughs and intrigue.

And if you are looking for more fun, here are the Meg Langslow Mysteries in order.

Book Review: High Rhymes and Misdemeanors by Diana Killian (Poetic Death Mysteries #1)

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Addicting caper with great characters
Cons: None for me
The Bottom Line:
Romantic poets
Lead to modern day mayhem
Enjoy the wild ride




Fun, Romantic Mystery

American Grace Hollister is on a working vacation researching the Romantic poets in England for her doctorate. One night, she stumbles on a man face down in a stream. Surprisingly, he isn't dead yet. She manages to revive Peter Fox, and the two share drinks in the bar. Peter tries to shake off what just happened, but when Grace is kidnapped the next day to make Peter do something, she realizes there is much more going on then meets the eye and someone thinks she knows more then she does. Now she must team up with Peter, who is hiding a past of his own, to solve this mystery before both of them are as dead as the poets she loves to study.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot gets a little convoluted at times with lots of characters who seem to change sides regularly, so you really need to pay attention. There is one major plot point that is resolved in passing, which bothers me a little. The story is equal parts mystery and romance. While the romance aspect is more pronounced then I normally like, but I really enjoyed it here.

Part of this is because the two lead characters are interesting and entertaining. I especially loved Peter's sarcasm and Grace's resourcefulness. Both are people I would love to spend time with in real life, only without all the excitement. Even on the page, the chemistry between the two is very real, making it easy to root for them.

When I sat down to read the book, I was a little intimidated. The chapters were so much longer then I was used to reading, and I prefer to read a chapter in one setting. That didn't prove to be a problem at all, however. The book reads quickly, and I often came to the end of one chapter wishing I had time to read another.

High Rhymes and Misdemeanors is highly entertaining. Pick it up and hang on for the wild ride ahead. I can't wait for the next in this fun series.

And you'll definitely want to read the Poetic Death Mysteries in order.

VeggieTales Review: An Easter Carol

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: A fun and powerful look at what Easter really means for Christians.

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Familiar story

With different holiday twist

Gets the meaning right

Hope of Easter Fully Explained

Returning to the Victorian world first created for The Star of Christmas, the creators of the kid's computer animated series VeggieTales release their first Easter special, An Easter Carol.

Business tycoon Ebenezer Nezzer has finally figured out his life's work. Creating plastic Easter eggs is no longer enough. Misinterpreting his grandmother's last words, he decides to destroy the local church and build Easterland, an Easter theme park full of egg hunts and chocolate bunnies in its place to keep Easter, and Grandma's memory, alive all year long. Beside, church is just something that keeps people from buying his eggs on Easter morning.

But the night before Easter, he has a vision. A music box angel named Hope (voiced by Rebecca St. James) shows him Easter past, present, and future. Will it be enough to show him what his grandmother already knew?

Since this is a follow up to The Star of Christmas, it uses the same characters in the same rolls as before. This episode only makes passing references to the earlier story, so it isn't necessary to have seen it, but it does help.

I've been looking forward to this episode ever since it was announced since I love its source material, A Christmas Carol. I certainly wasn't disappointed. The story is fun and entertaining. While we see little of series regulars Bob and Larry, their sub-plot trying to steal the plans for Easterland is hilarious. I especially love the scene with the seesaw. The story goes beyond the resurrection of Jesus to touch on what that means in the lives of Christians, something I truly appreciated. At 49 minutes, this is longer then the average episode, but it never drags for a minute. Several new songs add greatly to the enjoyment. I especially loved their tribute to "The Music Man" and Rebecca St. James' beautiful and powerful song.

The DVD is exactly what we've come to expect from Big Idea. The main feature is presented in full frame, with audio in your choice of stereo or full surround. There's an audio commentary, behind the scenes features, and fun games and activities for the kids. They even have a featurette on how real stained glass is made since stained glass windows play such an important part of the film.

Easter specials are not nearly as plentiful as Christmas specials are. An Easter Carol is one that parents will snap up and kids will love. I know I'll be watching it every Easter for a long time to come.

TV Show Review: Mary Tyler Moore Show - Season 2

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Sympathetic characters and humor that holds up 40+ years later

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

Still making us laugh

With charming characters, plots

A winner for sure

Finally Mary Returns to DVD

When TV shows started being released on DVD, there were only a handful of shows I was going to allow myself to buy. While that number has increased, I've been waited anxiously to get more of this show, one of the originals on the list. I'm so thankful to finally have a chance to get season two.

With the groundwork laid in the highly successful season one, the cast and crew push on to better themselves with season two. The show follows the exploits of single working woman Mary Richards (Mary Tyler Moore). At home, she is surrounded by friends Rhoda (Valerie Harper) and Phyllis (Cloris Leachman). She works as the associate producer of the news at WJM-TV which is lowest in the ratings thanks to bumbling news broadcaster Ted (Ted Knight). Also on the staff are news writer Murray (Gavin MacLeod) and producer Lou Grant (Ed Asner).

Several of the supporting characters get better developed here, most noticeably Ted, who gets several episodes that show his big talk is hiding some very low self-esteem. Phyllis' daughter Bess also gets more episodes this season and some very funny ones at that. Even Rhoda's mother makes a return visit. The only character who still seems to suffer is Murray, who only gets one episode devoted to him. Of course, he doesn't truly come into his own until he has Sue Ann to spar with starting in season 4.

Some of the standout episodes of this season include:

"A Girl's Best Mother is Not Her Friend," which features the return of Ida Morgenstern who tries to bond with Rhoda after watching Phyllis and Bess together.

"Thoroughly Unmilitant Mary" finds Mary and Lou the only two members of the newsroom not on strike.

When Mary continues a chain letter, her responses include two men in "Don't Break the Chain."

A spineless Mary gets frustrated with a "Feeb," a person who just can't do her job no matter what it is.

Rhoda and Mary find they are better friends then roommates in "Where There's Smoke, There's Rhoda."

And Phyllis overreacts to an A for Bess in "The Care and Feeding of Parents."

Fans will love this three-disc set. The episodes have been restored and look great with only the minimal dust in the full frame picture. The mono sound is great as well. The extras were originally completed before the set was postponed several years ago and are mostly featured on the back of the third disc. They included cast and crew commentary on three episodes, clips of the Emmy winners from this season, and an interesting documentary on all eight of the main characters and actors who were on the show over the curse of it's run. There's a twenty-minute look at filming the new footage for the fourth season opening which I found very entertaining. The parody from "Mad Magazine" has some funny bits, but like most stuff from them goes too far and looses it's whit before it's over. While the "Newsbeat Segment" had a few interesting bits in it, most of it wasn't worth watching.

Watching the extras, you get the feeling that everyone loved working on this show. I think this comes through in the finished product. While the fashions and sets are dated, the laughter isn't at all with season two. Here's hoping season three follows soon.

Season 2 Episodes:

1. The Birds...and...um...Bees

2. I am Curious Cooper

3. He's No Heavy, He's My Brother

4. Room 223

5. A Girl's Best Mother is Not Her Friend

6. Cover Boy

7. Didn't You Used to be...Wait...Don't Tell Me

8. Thoroughly Unmilitant Mary

9. And Now, Sitting in for Ted Baxter

10. Don't Break the Chain

11. The Six-and-a-Half-Year Itch

12. ...Is a Friend in Need

13. The Square Shaped Room

14. Ted Over Heels

15. The Five-Minute Dress

16. Feeb

17. The Slaughter Affair

18. Baby-Sit-Com

19. More Than Neighbors

20. The Care and Feeding of Parents

21. Where There's Smoke, There's Rhoda

22. You Certainly are a Big Boy

23. Some of My Best Friends are Rhoda

24. His Two Right Arms

Book Review: Dead as a Scone by Ron and Janet Benrey

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Good story with interesting characters
Cons: Pacing a little off
The Bottom Line:
A fun mystery book
With characters that I like
Pacing only con




Perfect with a Cup of Tea

For Nigel Owen, the year has not been going well. After loosing a great job in London, the only job he could get was as acting director of the Royal Tunbridge Wells Tea Museum. Still, this confirmed coffee drinker is determined to make the best of it and move back into his old circles as soon as he can.

Flick Adams, meanwhile, is thrilled to be working for the museum. The American transplant loves tea and finds her job as chief curator to be a real joy.

Both their lives are shaken when Dame Elspeth Hawker, board member and relative of the museum's founder, dies in the middle of a board meeting. Her doctor wants to write it off as natural causes, a reasonable assumption for an 84 year old. But Flick recognizes signs of poisoning and insists it was murder. Nigel knew there was something on Elspeth's mind that day. Could it be the reason she was killed?

Meanwhile, Elspeth's death puts the museum's future in jeopardy since many of the items in the museum were on loan from her family, and the heirs want to sell them. Can the museum come up with a way to keep their collection?

I love a good cozy and thought that a mystery set around tea in a small English village would be a perfect fit for me. I was right. Royal Tunbridge Wells is a charming place populated with endearing characters. It was a blast spending time with them. The book was so well written that time and the pages flew by, and it was always difficult putting the book down.

The story is told in equal parts from Nigel and Flick's points of view. This allows us to get to know them both equally and also provides different insight into the story. Each has their own straights and weaknesses, and this makes their scenes stand out all the more.

The pacing of the story is a little uneven. While Flick calls it murder right away, it's a long time before anyone else thinks it is. This makes for a beginning that's a little slower then I would have liked. The writing style, characters, and the museum collection sub-plot help keep things interesting, however.

One curiosity - the book is marketed as a Christian mystery. While there are a couple Christian characters and a Bible verse provides a clue, the majority of the characters, including Nigel and Flick, aren't Christians. Frankly, this didn't bother me either way and think it is worth noting only in passing. I think this might change as the series progresses, however.

I enjoyed Dead as a Scone and plan to spend more time with Nigel, Flick, and their charming tea museum.

VeggieTales Review: Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler

Stars: 4 out of 5

Pros: Good lessons on what it means to be a friend.

Cons: Not as funny as previous entries.

The Bottom Line:

Learning to be friends

Comedy is missing but

Still a fun entry

Clues to Friendship

With 27 videos released over the last 13 years, VeggieTales has become something of an institution. These computer animated vegetables have not only won over their target age group of kids but also teens and adults of every age. The blend of silliness with seriousness works well to impart Biblical lessons to all.

The latest in the series, Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler, takes on the issue of friendship. What exactly does it take to be a good friend? Naturally, Bob the Tomato is ready with two stories that help answer the question.

First up, we get "The Asparagus of La Mancha." Don Quixote (Archibald Asparagus) runs a popular restaurant. When he starts having a series of bad dreams, he tries to figure out what they mean. Could the grand opening of the latest Food Factory restaurant right across the street be what the dreams were foretelling?

Naturally, Don's business drops off immediately, and he becomes concerned about loosing his business and best friends/waiter Poncho (Mr. Lunt). Is there anything he can do to get the Food Factory to go away or is it as useless as tilting at windmills?

Up next is the silly song, one of the weaker ones. In it, Larry tries to get his ball back from behind the wall of a "Gated Community" while the residences sing about how great life there is. It's been a while, but I think I now have a new least favorite silly song. This one had an interesting premise, but it didn't really go anywhere.

Finally comes the main feature. Larry the Cucumber takes on the role of Sheerluck Holmes, the best detective in London. That is, if you believe the press. Holmes is actually not nearly as brilliant as everyone thinks he is. The true detective is Dr. Watson (Bob the Tomato). The two are summoned to Buckingham Palace where they must find the missing keys to the vault that contains the secret of England's greatness, The Golden Ruler. But Watson is getting tired of Holmes hogging all the credit. Will the riff in their relationship mean the loss of this valuable asset?

I didn't feel this entry in the series was quite up to par. The stories were good and animation fine, but it lacked the humor of the previous entries. Normally, these videos can be counted on to make you laugh and smile no matter your age, but this one contained few good jokes. Instead, the stories seemed to be heavier handed then normal in getting the moral across. On top of this, the two songs weren't especially memorable.

This isn't to say I didn't like the video. The lessons on sticking by your friends and treating them well are important and the stories are fun. Kids, the true audience, should love it. Sheerluck Holmes and the Golden Ruler just won't be as popular with the adult fans of the series.

Music Review: Bless the Broken Road by Selah

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: The trio is still producing music that focuses our hearts on God

Cons: Don't care for the last 20 seconds of "I Will Sing of My Redeemer"

The Bottom Line:

Disc of transition

But songs still focused on God

Hearts lifted in praise

Selah's Transition Disc is a Blessing

2005 and 2006 say some transitions for the trio Selah.  Founding member Nicol Smith decided to leave and pursue a solo career.  While Todd Smith and Allan Hall worked to find a new female to join the group, they released Bless the Broken Road: The Duets Album.  While I've just found the group in the last year, I'm sure it was proof to their fans that the group had lost none of their magic.

As the title implies, each song on the disc is a duet with a different artists.  And yes, all but one of them is female.  The different artists mesh well with Selah's style.  Of course, while most of Selah's songs fall into the inspirational category, they branch out quite regularly, so that's not that hard to do, really.

The disc opens with the title song and an appearance by Melodie Crittenden, who almost joined the trio as the third member.  While the "to you" of the chorus can be interepted many ways, the idea that "God blessed the broken road/And led me straight to you" is a great reminder of His sovereignty in all things.  The strings on this one are beautiful, and Todd and Melodie harmonize so well together.

The very first time I heard "Glory," I said to myself that it sounded just like a Nichole Nordeman song.  I knew she was duet for the song, but when I looked at the booklet I confirmed she also wrote it.  The melody is what gave it away.  It's a great song about the hope of the day that the entire world will be singing Glory to God.

For some reason, "All My Tears" had never grabbed me when Jars of Clay covered it (the same year), but I love the song here.  An upbeat song in a minor key, I'm really drawn to the idea that once we're dead, nothing here is going to matter any more.  It helps that the song is hauntingly beautiful with Kim Hill's lush vocals being the perfect match for the arrangement.  The background vocals really add to the pleasure of the song.

That song is followed up with "Ain't No Grave."  This time the gust vocals are from Jason and Adam Crabb.  It's got a similar theme in the hope of the resurrection.  It's probably the most uptempo piece on the disc, and the blues harp Adam plays gives it a fun hint of country.

The guest vocal list is actually pretty impressive, including the likes of Barlowgirl, Nicole C. Mullen, Plub, and Christy Nockels, then of Watermark before she set out on a solo career of her own.  The variety doesn't make for a disjointed disc at all.  Instead, things flow along well despite the differences in styles.

Allan Hall usually adds some background vocals and excellent piano work to Selah releases, but here he steps into the male lead vocal role twice.  One of these is on the disc closer, "Softly and Tenderly."  This is a fresh arrangement of the classic hymn, and yes, Allan does provide some amazing piano for it, although it takes a back seat to the amazing strings much of the time.

The other time is much earlier in the disc.  "Gentle Healer" is a cover of a song by Michael Card about the power of Jesus in a small village during His earthly ministry.  The duet this time is with Amy Perry, who had joined the group as the third member of the trio by the time they recorded parts of the disc.  You can hear her hear but also in the background vocals of many of the songs.

She does a duet with Todd as well on "Be thou Near to Me," a simple song of prayer asking for God's presence in daily life.  It's a mid tempo blend of guitar and piano, and I love it.

The only real misstep on the disc is the coda to "I Will Sing of My Redeemer" where Todd has his three year old daughters sing the chorus.  It's cute once, but after that I don't care for it.  That probably makes me a grump, right?

At this point in their career, Selah had a reputation for lifting the hearts of their listeners in praise to God.  Bless the Broken Road proved that they were going to be focusing on that going forward.  There are many awesome songs here, and their fans will not be disappointed in the disc at all.

CD Length: 48:00

Tracks:

1. Bless the Broken Road (with Melodie Crittenden)

2. Gentle Healer (with Amy Perry

3. Glory (with Nichole Nordeman)

4. I Will Sing of My Redeemer (with Barlowgirl)

5. Follow Jesus (Landa Yesu) (with Nicole C. Mullen)

6. Mary Sweet Mary (with Plumb)

7. All My Tears (with Kim Hill)

8. Ain't No Grave (with Jason and Adam Crabb)

9. Be Thou Near to Me (with Amy Perry)

10. Faithful One (with Christy Nockels)

11. Sweet Jesus (with Jill Phillips)

12. Softly and Tenderly (with Cynthia Clawson)

TV Show Review: Adventures of Spin and Marty - Walt Disney Treasures

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great acting and charming story

Cons: Today's kids might find the story slow

The Bottom Line:

Spin and Marty live

Their adventures are still fun

Addicting story

"Way Up There on the Triple R"

I was born too late to watch the Mickey Mouse Club on TV and I never caught the reruns. Even so, as a life long Disney fanatic, I have heard lots of things about "The Adventures of Spin & Marty." Naturally, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this set and watch it. I immediately found the appeal of the serial.

Originally airing as part of the Mickey Mouse Club in 1955, this two-disc set contains twenty-five eleven minutes episodes about the adventures of a group of pre-teen boys spending a summer at the Triple R dude ranch.

Spin Evans is returning for his second year. He's got lots of horse knowledge and is quite popular.

On the other hand, Marty Markham is new to the ranch this year. He's a spoiled kid overly sheltered by his grandmother. In fact, their butler, Perkins, spends the summer at the ranch to keep an eye on him. Marty has a fascination with horses, yet is terrified of them. He tries anything he can to get the other boys to like him, causing rifts at the ranch, especially with Spin. Will he ever learn to get along with guys his own age?

Meanwhile, the guys will have lots of adventures, including a snipe hunt, an encounter with a bear, and an overnight camping trip to a haunted mine. As if that weren't enough, at the end of the summer, the ranch will compete in a rodeo with another ranch. Will this be the year the Triple R finally wins?

Starting this set, I wasn't sure what to expect. I got quickly hooked on the story, however. While it takes it time developing, it is charming from the start. You can't help but root for Spin, Marty, and the other guys. The great writing and acting help. These may be kids on a low budget show, but they do an impressive job with the material. The few special effects are poor by today's standards, but they fit with the charm of the show. The story takes the time to let us get to know the characters so we care about what happens to them at the various points along the way.

As previously mentioned, there are 25 episodes in this two-disc set. These cover the first season. After the serial proved to be popular, the cast came back twice more over the next two years. Hopefully those adventures will be released soon. The episodes are presented in their original black and white. Somehow, anything else would just feel wrong to me. While the occasional dust or grain betrays the shows age, the show is remarkably well preserved and very clear. Extras include introductions from Leonard Maltin on both discs, the complete Mickey Mouse Club episode that first introduced the characters (it spoils much of the series, so I recommend watching it last), Tim Considine's screen test as Marty (he actually played Spin), photo galleries, interviews with stars Tim Considine and David Stollery as they tour the area where the series was filmed, and an interview with Harry Carey, Jr., who played counselor Bill Burnett in the series.

This show, with its low-key action and slow story telling, would never make it on TV today. But this set gives us a chance to enjoy a truly wonderful piece of television history. Those who grew up watching "The Adventures of Spin & Marty" will love the trip down memory lane. Anyone willing to give this gem a chance will find it just as charming now as it was fifty years ago.

Movie Review: Sky High

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Great acting

Cons: Story is predictable

The Bottom Line:

Predictable plot

But you'll have fun getting there

So you will not care

If Only High School Were Really This Super

Will Stronghold (Michael Angarano) is about to start his first day of high school. He's attending his parent's alma mater, and the pressure to live up to their legacy is huge. See, his parents (Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston) happen to be the biggest superheroes known to mankind. As The Commander and Jetstream, they routinely work together to save the world. But Will has a big problem; he has no super powers of his own.

Will is quickly put in the Sidekick's class, a huge dishonor he tries to keep from his parents. Even so, he quickly makes friends and begins to settle in, even attracting the attention of the beautiful student body president, something unheard of for a freshman in the Sidekick class, or Hero Support if you prefer.

Danger lurks around every corner, however. Will has an arch nemesis on campus and someone is watching the Stronghold's secret lair. Will Will develop any powers to help cope with these problems?

This movie is supposed to be mindless fun for the young and young at heart, and it succeeds mightily. All the actors do a great job, especially the mostly unknown teen cast. The adults in the film have fun with their rolls. Everyone's trying to do a good job but have fun at the same time, and that spirit draws you into the film. I especially enjoyed Lynda Carter's brief appearances as the school principal, and she gets the best line out of the entire movie.

The plot, on the other hand, is fairly predictable for anyone who has seen a Disney family film before. I had most everything figured out before it happened, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the movie for one minute. Being a high school movie, it has many cliches from that genre as well, but with a clever superhero twist. The special effects are decent and help draw you into the film.

The DVD is nothing special, but it gets the job done. The wide screen picture and full surround sound are great. Extras include a music video (Bowling for Soup with "I Melt with You"), bloopers, behind the scenes, stunts, and an alternate opening. Of these, the only one really worth watching is the alternate opening. It's fun and helps fill in a couple plot points from the movie better.

Sky High is the perfect movie to watch with the family or after a long week when you just want to relax. It takes itself just seriously enough to be fun but not so seriously that it becomes overly cheesy.