Topic: Topic of the Month: May 2012 — Birthdays

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Title: Sabrina: The Teenage Witch Who's Birthday: Sabrina Plot: It's her 16th birthday, and Sabrina (MELISSA JOAN HART) is feeling a little strange. She just transferred to a new school, moved in with her two otherworldly aunts, and nothing is quite what it seems. Things can only get more complicated when Sabrina learns that she's a real witch. Now, she's got to make friends, memorize spells, and find a way to get a date for the school dance. It'll take a little hocus-pocus and a whole lot of adventure before Sabrina learns to control her powers and find true love.

My Thoughts:
This is the TV Movie that they did before it went to a series. While some of the cast is the same such as Melissa Joan Hart as Sabrina... the cast for both aunts was different. This movie also has a very young Ryan Reynolds. An actor that has grown on me as I am now a fan of his. It is a pretty good movie... I enjoyed it though I did miss the cast that played the aunts in the TV Series. Unfortunately this DVD release has no extras what so ever. Not even any trailers. When you pop the movie in it goes straight to the menu with only 2 options... Play and Scene Selection.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 24
Left: 19

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Series: The Stockard Channing Show Episode: s1e5 Life Begins at 30 Who's Birthday: Susan Plot: Susan has a hard time with the idea of turning 30.

My Thoughts:
This is a show that a good friend of mine gave to me. One I never seen before he gave it to me. But one I enjoyed much more then I thought I would. The set has 2 complete short lived sitcoms that Stockard Channing starred in. First there is Just Friends from 1979 and then there is The Stockard Channing Show from 1980. Both of which I enjoyed a lot. This birthday episode was a lot of fun. had several laugh out loud moments. It was hilarious seeing Susan (Stockard Channing) on rollerskates. Plus her short shorts didn't hurt any either.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 25
Left: 18

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Series: Charmed Episode: s1e4 Dead Man Dating Who's Birthday: Prue & Mark (The Ghost) Plot: Prue tries to avoid a birthday celebration as Piper befriends and saves the restless soul of a ghost who was murdered by a gang leader. The sisters save his soul and learn a valuable life lesson.

My Thoughts:
One of my favorite episodes of the series... I especially liked it since it was a big Piper episode. And Piper has always been my favorite of the sisters. I also liked the way they put some Chinese folk lore into the story line for this one. Not only do we have Pru's birthday in this episode... but also the ghost's birthday is talked of in the beginning of the episode. The side story of Phoebe trying to get some cash for Prue's present is a lot of fun too.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 26
Left: 17

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Series: Lost Episode: s3e20 The Man Behind the Curtain Who's Birthday: Ben Plot: Ben begrudgingly tells Locke some of the secrets of the island, beginning with the mysterious Jacob. Meanwhile, the secret of the parachute woman is revealed, and Juliet is exposed as a spy. Flashbacks to the 1970s show how Ben came to the island and give insights into the early history of the Dharma Initiative.

My Thoughts:
Towards the end of the third season... the series is getting a bit on the weird side now. But I am still enjoying it. This episode answers a lot of questions about Ben and The Dharma Experiment. But at the same time opens up more questions.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 27
Left: 16

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Title: Bloody Birthday Who's Birthday: Debbie, Curtis & Steven Plot: In 1970, three children were born during the height of a total eclipse of Saturn, the planet governing emotion. Ten years later these seemingly innocent children have become heartless killers able to move around under the radar of suspicion because of their youthful facades. What happens when a teenage girl and her younger brother stumble upon the horrible truth?

My Thoughts:
I remember really enjoying this one back in my early teens when it first came out. I can't say it is quite as good as I remember it being. But I definitely enjoyed every minute of it. Of course I do have a soft spot for '80s horror... after all they are the movies I grew up watching.

Sure, evil children has been done to death. Some probably done better then this one. And more times then not it seems to have to do with an eclipse when the children was born. But that don't take away from the fact that this one is good. It has some creative kills (gotta love the arrow through the peephole!) and a good story. I am so glad I finally found this movie again... and the fact that it cost me less then $4.00 is icing on the Bloody Birthday cake. While I really can't complain... I do wish this one had more extras on the disc.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 28
Left: 15

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Title: Happy Birthday to Me Who's Birthday: Virginia Wainwright Plot: Get ready for a taut mystery-shocker that will keep you at your wit's end and at the edge of your seat. Popular high school senior Virginia Wainwright (Melissa Sue Anderson) survives a freak accident, but suffers from memory loss and traumatic blackouts. As she attempts to resume a normal life, something terrible is happening — her friends are ruthlessly murdered one-by-one. Will she be the next victim or is she the killer? The terrifying truth is finally uncovered at Virginia's 18th birthday party...and you're invited.

My Thoughts:
My wife used to drive me nuts always watching Little House on the Prairie before she passed away... so Melissa Sue Anderson is very familiar to me from that.I found this movie to be very good... I really enjoyed it. I have to say... I got a kick out of that bridge game they played towards the beginning of the movie. I think Melissa Sue Anderson did a very good job on this movie. I grew up with '80s horror... and definitely watched quite a bit of it. I would rank this one high on the list of the many movies I remember watching at the time. I found some... if not most of the killings to be really imaginative.

The DVD release could have definitely been better. Especially that cover art! Why they didn't use the movie poster for the cover art I will never understand. And there is actual no extras what so ever on this disc concerning this movie. Not even the theatrical trailer. I would  have loved to seen a few extras here. Some deleted scenes... commentary... pretty much anything that was actually about the movie. But no such luck.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 29
Left: 14

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Title: Rabid Grannies Who's Birthday: Victoria & Elizabeth (The Grannies) Plot: Grannies are the greatest. They bake pies, tell stories and take you to the zoo. They don't ask for an arm and a leg in return. THEY WANT YOUR WHOLE BODY! It's off to grandmother's house we go for Rabid Grannies, the blood-spattered tale of two little old ladies who open a surprise package from Hell. Out slithers a mysterious fog that turns the grannies into ghouls who can't wait to sink their dentures into human flesh. Luckily for them, they have a houseful of juicy guests. Unluckily for their guests, these bone-crunching battle-axes just can't get filled up. Rabid Grannies - these biddies bite

My Thoughts:
How is this movie? Well... what can you expect from a Troma movie? Nothing much! This one may be a bit better then some of the Troma movies I have seen... but that isn't saying much. In this one the entire "family" shows up for the grannies birthday celebration. All of them only showing up to ensure their inheritance. One of their birthday presents ends in the grannies being possessed by demons. Let me tell you... in this one I had a hard time even getting to the birthday party scene. Really... there is nothing much to see here.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 30
Left: 13

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Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode: s3e12 Helpless Who's Birthday: Buffy Plot: Buffy feels weak and is unable to carry out her duties as a slayer. When she goes to Giles for help he seems distracted. This is because he is, on the orders of the Watcher's Council, preparing her for the Cruciamentum, a test the Watchers put each slayer through on her eighteenth birthday. She must be weakened and left alone to beat a vampire, to test her resourcefulness.

My Thoughts:
This is another great episode of Buffy. One I have enjoyed quite a bit every time I seen it. Though I must say it doesn't live up to the season 2 birthday episode... though it is close. I thought the test they put Buffy through was an entertaining idea. I must admit the first time I watched this episode I was pretty pissed at Giles myself.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 31
Left: 12

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Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode: s4e12 A New Man Who's Birthday: Buffy Plot: At Buffy's 19th birthday party, Giles has a realization. He is an unemployed, middle-aged man hanging around with a bunch of teenagers. He feels even worse when he finds out that he is the only one who doesn't know about Riley and the Initiative. Feeling useless and insecure, he runs into Ethan Rayne, but the confrontation ends in drinks at the local pub rather than the usual fisticuffs. The next morning, Giles looks in the mirror and sees a massive Fyarl demon looking back at him.

My Thoughts:
This has never been one of my favorite episodes. I would say it is somewhere between fair and good. For one thing I never liked the character of Ethan Rayne. He is one character that really bored me. Thankfully you only see him a couple times throughout the series. Though it was fun to see Giles as a demon unable to communicate with the gang.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 32
Left: 11

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Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode: s5e6 Family Who's Birthday: Tara Plot: Tara inadvertently puts everyone in danger when she secretly casts a spell on her friends after her family arrives in Sunnydale to celebrate her birthday.

My Thoughts:
Another good one here. Giles is told Dawn is the key. Tara finds out what she means to the rest of the group. And the whole spell gone wrong thing was fun as well.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 33
Left: 10

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Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode: s5e13 Blood Ties Who's Birthday: Buffy Plot: The Scooby Gang discusses plans for Buffy's birthday and dealing with Glory. Giles reveals that Glory is the god of a demon dimension and in order to stay in human form, she needs to suck energy from humans, leaving them insane. The gang starts asking questions about The Key and Buffy finally breaks down and tells them the truth about Dawn.

My Thoughts:
A good episode. This season with Glory is a good season... but not what I would call a favorite. I liked how Michelle Trachtenberg portrayed Dawn in this episode... where she finds out the truth about herself. And even though I didn't care as much for this season as I did some of them... I must admit all the fights with Glory (including the one in this episode) were always good.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 34
Left: 9

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Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Episode: s6e14 Older and Far Away Who's Birthday: Buffy Plot: When Dawn feels that nobody wants to spend time with her, she makes a wish in front of a Vengeance demon (posing as school counselor) that everyone would stay with her. During Buffy's birthday party, Dawn's penchant for shoplifting is discovered while the gang tries to figure out why nobody is able to leave the house.

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this episode quite a bit too. The way none of the birthday parties on Buffy goes well.... makes for a fun show. It seemed like a couple of the characters was in this one for little to no reason. Guess they were basically just brought in to beef up the guest list at the party some. This is the last Buffy episode I have marked that has something to do with birthdays. It seems there wasn't one in the final season of the series? Or am I missing any?

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 35
Left: 8

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Series: Tru Calling Episode: s2e3 In the Dark Who's Birthday: Tru Plot: When the lights go out during a surprise birthday party in the morgue, Tru hears someone asking for help-but due to the darkness, she has no idea who needs to be saved.

My Thoughts:
This is one of my all-time favorite short lived TV Series. Matter of fact... I am still upset with FOX for canceling this series! I know a lot of people that loved this series... and I know a lot of people that hated it. I just happen to be one that absolutely loved it. This happens to be one of my favorite episodes. I really enjoyed it a lot. The fact that she didn't know who it was that called her name really added something to the episode.  Gave it a bit extra mystery. And definitely a harder job for Tru.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 36
Left: 7

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Got a lot watched today! Actually put me back in the running to complete my goal! 

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Series: Angel Episode: s3e11 Birthday Who's Birthday: Cordelia Plot: Cordelia learns that the visions Doyle passed on to her will eventually kill her unless she agrees to go back in time and choose a different path in life.

My Thoughts:
This is a good episode. The birthday storyline was kinda small but was there for a couple scenes. I did like the whole alternate reality storyline they did though.

My Rating:


Goal: 43
Watched: 37
Left: 6