Pudsey the Dog - The Movie reviewed

To be honest, when I heard that they were making a film starring Pudsey the Dog from BGT fame I was expecting something as awful and cheesy as Simon Cowell's X Factor put downs.  However, I was willing to give it a go for the sake of the kids' entertainment.  Surprisingly enough, I ended up quite enjoying this family movie and found myself actually laughing out loud on more than one occasion!  Yes it's a very familiar and predictable plot and the humour is very slapstick and old school, but there is something that is quite quintessentially British and charming about it. The film reminded me of some films and TV shows from my childhood with vibes of Digby and 70's sitcoms and kids' TV in the plot and the action sequences. So there was an air of nostalgia about the presentation of the film.  It is a movie made for kids, scripted in a very kids' TV channel way. There is no hidden agenda or multi-layered interpretation of the plot, it's a case of what you see is what you get, and what you get is actually quite enjoyable!

The story is based around the mischievous little dog Pudsey, who escapes from his solo life and embarks on an adventure when he comes across siblings Molly, Tommy and George. Jumping in to their moving van as the family are leaving for a new life in the country after the loss of their father, Pudsey ends up living with them in the aptly named Tumbledown Farm.  Cue a corrupt landlord, Mr Thorne, with a hatred for dogs and an evil plan to destroy the Chuffington farmhouse and you have the basis for the plot.

Of course, Pudsey saves the day and along the way he helps the damaged younger brother to find his voice, fixes the broken family, helps save a life and is instrumental in some romance. He also causes mayhem at the Chuffington Fete, destroys the local dog pound, ruins a world record breaking pie, foils Thorne's evil plan and induces a nervous breakdown.  All in a day's work!

Pudsey is voiced by David Walliams, keeping with the BGT and Cowell connection.  Other stars include John Sessions, Jessica Hynes and Jim Tavare. With a feel of Babe meets Lassie with a smidgen of Benny Hill slapstick thrown in for good measure, the actors turn in a good panto style performance.  Pudsey delivers his scenes with canine professionalism and does a bit of his trademark walking on hind legs, but there isn't too much of his 'dancing' involved in the story as I would have expected from a Pudsey movie.

All in all, I found it quite enjoyable.  If you are expecting something high brow or subtly scripted, forget it.  But if you want some lighthearted fun, some amusing animals (especially the 'egg laying' pig), some slapstick visual comedy, a predictable but gently satisfying plot and kid friendly storytelling then you will probably be entertained by this rural romp.

PUDSEY IS AVAILABLE ON DVD FROM 10th NOVEMBER, COURTESY OF EONE

Milkshake! Stars DVD Review

Freddy loves watching some of his favourite TV shows to relax after a day at school , so the new Milkshake! Stars DVD is perfect for him.  With episodes from favourite shows such as Peppa Pig, Ben and Holly, Thomas and Friends, Tickety Toc, Jelly Jamm and Chloe's Closet, there is 149 minutes of fantastic fun for kids to watch and enjoy. They can dip in and pick favourite episodes to watch or can watch the DVD in its entirety, especially useful on long car journeys or when away on holiday to keep little ones entertained.

The DVD is out on September 8th.

Freddy is a big fan of the show Igam Ogam about a little cavegirl and her adventures.  The episode "I'm Bouncing" sees her on a veggie hopper that won't stop bouncing about.  It really makes Fred giggle!  Other favourites of his from the DVD are the Peppa Pig episode where George loses Mr Dinosaur and "Fun and Games" with Ben and Holly.  Altogether there are 15 full episodes from 15 different Milkshake! shows on the disc.  Freddy discovered some brand new things like Bert and Ernie and Pip Ahoy! as well as enjoying some old favourites.  It's a great value DVD, perfect for keeping little ones entertained.  At the moment you can pre-order it at Amazon for just £7.00.

If your kids are big Milkshake! fans, why not look out for the Milkshake! Live Party Party tour.   The theatre show features a number of the characters that feature on the DVD such as Bananas in Pyjamas, Tickety Toc, Chloe's Closet, Pip Ahoy!, Little Princess, Toby's Travelling Circus and Jelly Jamm.

You can find more information on the tour here.

http://milkshake.channel5.com/pages/milkshake-live

A Tiger's Tail - a film review

In the perfect formula for a family movie, you might find cute animals, characterful kids and funny situational comedy. A Tiger's Tail features all of these things!  Youngsters Billy and Koby, are dealing with the usual troubles that befall teens such as homework, girls and the local bullies.  But when a tiger cub called Luna comes into their lives, the trouble really begins!

The tale begins at the local zoo where the local bullies humiliate Billy and steal his rucksack while he was trying to impress his love interest Doreen by the zoo's hot dog stand.  When Billy's dad finds the bag, due to the carelessness of a rather inept zoo keeper, there is an uninvited guest stowed away inside, which he inadvertently brings home.  This is the start of an adventure that sees Billy trying to keep the baby tiger hidden from his clueless parents and come up with a plan to return the cub to its pining mother.

The film uses a lot of classic, kids' film plot devices to progress the story and the moral of being rewarded for doing the right thing is cliched if not heartwarming. It has the feel of a Sunday afternoon Nick Jr movie with cute critters and kids getting into scrapes until the final mandatory happy ending.  The interaction between the family's pet Labrador and the tiger cub brings scenes that children will love and the comedic situations that come from trying to conceal a playful wild animal in the house will get the children chuckling.

Our favourite characters were Billy's goofball friend Koby, who is always doing something daft, and Billy's dad (played by the guy who played mind reading policeman Matt Partman in Heroes).  The parenting skills of Billy's parents leave a lot to be desired as they constantly dismiss and misunderstand their son's dilemmas- but it does raise a few laughs.

There is a good element of storytelling, some lovely animals and some gentle humour along with a nice soundtrack, which makes this a sweet film to keep the little ones entertained this summer. It has a nice moral message about honesty and doing the right thing and we get to see the underdogs triumph.

The Tiger's Tail is available now - find it on Amazon for £8.50.
The film is 81 Minutes long and a U certificate.