Fruits Basket

 (Click here to watch a trailer)

Cute, hilarious, and fun all around. This anime is about a girl named Tohru Honda who discovers the secret that surrounds the family of her classmate Yuki Soma. Some members of his family, including him, transform into the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac when hugged by someone of the opposite gender, or when under stress. The anime deals much with how ones influence can have a great impact on another.

• Age Appropriateness: Teens +
• Content Rating: Fruits Basket is almost entirely harmless really. Kyo does swear quite often though, and there is one cross-dresser (if you have anything against that). Also, when those who are cursed transform back from being their respective animals, they are naked, but nothing is ever shown since they generate a big poof cloud when they transform, but other than those things, it's a very mild anime.
• Dub vs. Sub: I watched this anime with the English dub, and I liked it that way. I thought the voices matched up very well, so that's what I would recommend.
• Overall Rating: I would give Fruits Basket a 4/5. It's a wonderful anime and I love it, but aside from a few parts of the show, it was mostly fun to watch once. Although the end doesn't give much closure, and near the end gets a little boring with the same old stuff going on, I would say that Fruits Basket was definitely a good anime to watch all around. 

Fruits Basket picture from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Fruits_Basket_episodes

Pretear

(Click here to watch the opening)

This anime is only 13 episodes long, and the creators could have added in some more elements to make it better, but somehow, I still really liked it! I mean, what's not to like about a story with elements from Snow White, about a girl destined to save the world by merging with 7 different knights (and falling in love with the Knight of the Wind) in order to protect and save the world from the Princess of Disaster? The opening song is also enjoyable, for sure!

• Age Appropriateness: Teens +
• Content Rating: It's not quite for little kids really, simply for the fact that the transformations, although not explicit, are a bit revealing. There is also some mild language thrown around here and there.
• Dub vs. Sub: I would suggest the dub, since it's done well. Plus I do enjoy Luci Christian and Chris Patton who voiced Duck and Fakir from Princess Tutu. 
• Overall rating: I give this a 4/5. I really like this one, and it's kind of nice that it's only 13 episodes long, and they do a good job of making things flow in such a short amount of episodes. The characters are great as well and I love the opening song. 

 Pretear Picture from: http://www.zerochan.net/Hayate,Pretear

Full Moon wo Sagashite

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 Full Moon started out as a pretty typical, shoujo, predictable anime, but for some reason I kept watching it. Maybe it was because it was so sweet with an interesting plot? Who knows, but I do know that I'm glad I watched it! This anime is about a 12-year-old girl named Mitsuki, who loves to sing, despite the fact that she has cancer in her throat and the doctors urge her not to. A long time ago, when she was younger, she made a promise with her friend Eichi, who was moving away to America, that when they saw each other again, they would be closer to fulfilling their dreams; he an astronomer, and she a singer. However, Mitsuki learns from a couple of Shinigami (death spirits that she is somehow able to see) that she only has one year left to live. Takuto, one of the Shinigami, takes pity on Mitsuki and transforms her into a 16-year-old version of herself  without the cancer so she can fulfill her dreams. The story that unfolded (took until about episode 16 or something to get really, really interesting) was really good. There was a lot of meaning in it, and focused a lot on how one can change lives through music. Speaking of music, this anime has some WONDERFUL songs! Eternal Snow, Myself (Meroko's and Takuto's versions), and New Future are some of my favs. :) I would most definitely recommend this anime to anyone. Also, you may have to look up the last fourth or so of the show online since for some reason the last bit is unavailable on dvd! :P

• Age Appropriateness: I would say this would be appropriate for audiences as young as 10 or so.
• Content Rating:There really isn't anything objectionable about this anime, aside from the not so modestly dressed Shinigami and if you have anything against an older boy (by about 4 years) being in love with a younger girl. 
• Dub vs. Sub: The English dub is pretty awful. It seriously sounds like a fan dub. Ugh. Definitely watch with subtitles.
• Overall Rating: I would give this anime 4/5 stars. It's lovely and fun and made me bawl at the end. Like I said above, my only real complaint is that it takes a long time for things to really develop into a good story. 

Full Moon wo Sagashite picture from: http://fullmoonanime.wikia.com/wiki/Full_Moon_o_Sagashite

Confessions of a Shopaholic

(Click here to watch the trailer)

 I really, really enjoyed this movie! It was so cute, fun, and hilarious! The story is about Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) who is addicted to shopping. She can't help but purchase far more than she needs as soon as she spots a cashmere sweater or feel her heart melting at the sight of the window display. Her lifelong dream is to be an editor in the top fashion magazine Alette, and when someone else gets the job, she takes a position in another magazine in hopes of moving up in the company and eventually getting her dream job. The problem is, the magazine is for advice on saving money more than spending. It's one hilarious moment after another in this clever and fun film. 

• Age Appropriateness: I say that this film is fine for teens and up, possibly even preteens. There aren't any inappropriate scenes to skip either, so nothing to worry about there.
• Content Rating: The film is rated PG and does have some mild language in it. There really isn't any innuendo, or at the least very little.   
• Overall Rating: I would give this film a 4/5. Although I love it, and would want to give it a full 5, it still is lacking in the basic originality department in the fact that we've seen movies before of someone who has a problem, lies about a lot of stuff, and then is exposed, and changes their life around for the better. However, it is fun and well done and a movie that is not easily forgotten.

 Confessions of a Shopaholic poster: http://www.impawards.com/2009/confessions_of_a_shopaholic_ver4.html

Fandemonium

More to come later, but look what I got!!!!!!!!!!!!!1