YESTERDAY

A GEEK DADDY RECEIVED THE FEATURED PRODUCT FOR FREE TO REVIEW

What if you woke up one morning to find that overnight the whole world had forgotten something you cherish? Would you utilize that knowledge to enrich yourself with fame and riches or would that be immoral? That is the dilemma Jack Malik encounters in the theatrically-released movie YESTERDAY which is now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital to add to your home entertainment video library.

Jack is a struggling songwriter and musician who dreams of hitting it big although no one seems to care for his original songs and the audiences at his gigs are sparse. Then after a mysterious global blackout, he seems to be the only person om Earth who remembers the existence of the Beatles and their music. When Jack begins to perform the Beatles songs he becomes an overnight sensation with the success he has always desired within his grasp.

Jack is terrified though that there are others out there who remember the Beatles and will out him as a fraud. He also struggles with the moral dilemma of stealing other artists work as his own. Plus his new found fame creates a divide with long time relationships as his musical career creates a divide between him and his best friends. Jack ponders whether celebrity and money really are the keys to his happiness in life.

We watched YESTERDAY for a family movie night the other evening and my wife told me this is her favorite film of 2019. She appreciated the originality of the movie's story and the musical performances that play a central part of the plot. We both agreed Himesh Patel provides an outstanding performance as Jack and his singing throughout the film was top notch. I liked that this was a family-friendly movie that served as a nice introduction to the Beatles music for my 10 year old twins.

The positive messages and themes about ethics, integrity and the value of friends and family also stand out earning YESTERDAY a geek daddy nod of approval. The film approaches some heavy topics with levity providing plenty of laughs in this rock 'n' roll romantic comedy. Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later) has added another hit to his film resume with YESTERDAY.

The home entertainment video release of YESTERDAY has some wonderful bonus segments. These include deleted and extended scenes, live performances at the iconic Abbey Road Studios, an alternate opening and ending, and several featurettes with the filmmakers and cast that delve further into the movie's story. Parents beware though that there is a deleted scene featuring a naked Jack running across a room after a one night stand that probably would have given YESTERDAY an R rating. With that scene left out, the movie has been rated PG-13 for suggestive content and language.



For more information about YESTERDAY go to www.uphe.com/movies/yesterday

Beat Bugs

When Beatlemania swept across the United States in 1964 a large segment of the population was up in arms that the rock and roll band The Beatles was going to lead to the depravity of the country's youth.  Ironically, the band's music is now being used to teach children about life lessons on a delightful animated television series on Netflix called BEAT BUGS.  The show, which is produced for an audience of two to seven year old kids, follows the exploits of five young bugs as they explore a typical suburban backyard which they call home that provides a gigantic space for creatures their size to have adventures in.

Song by The Beatles such as "Help," "Come Together" and "Good Day Sunshine" are incorporated into each episode's story that portrays a valuable life lesson to the show's young audience.  These songs being interwoven into the plots of the series' episodes is a nice way to get parents to "Come Together" to enjoy watching a show with their kids.  It is also a great way to get children interested in music and get them to embrace the teachable moments.  BEAT BUGS was nominated for five 2017 Daytime Emmy Awards and won for Outstanding Writing in a Preschool Animated Program.  It is really a very well done show!



Not only does the music stand out in BEAT BUGS, but also the charming characters in it.  HIJINX TOYS has some really fun products out that will allow children to spend hours engaging in imaginative play with their favorite BEAT BUGS characters.  Here are some of my kids favorites:

Fab Figures

Kids can collect 3-inch scale versions of their favorite BEAT BUGS with these HIJINX TOYS action figures.  These colorful articulated figures are durably built and meant to be played with.  They are really detailed doing an excellent job of representing the imagery of each character from the show.  Great for letting kids play out their own imaginary BEAT BUGS adventures!

Singing Figures

These six inch Hijinx Alive action figures powered by Chirp will actually sing along to songs from the BEAT BUGS.  They will be activated by hearing select songs while kids are watching episodes from Season 1 of BEAT BUGS or through the use of a free app that can be downloaded to a phone or tablet.  Push a button on the toy's stomach and it will also sing a few songs independently of the app and show.  A really nice feature is that when combining multiple action figure characters they will sing along in chorus when paired together.



 Glowie Plush

Kids will love cuddling a Glowie plush toy.  Not only are they soft the snuggle but they furry creatures will sing for you.  There are four colors to choose from (orange, pink, blue & yellow) with each singing a unique song by The Beatles.