Stay True to Yourself #WreckItRalph Review

My husband and I are the couple that go out to see kid movies without the kids. Even before having kids we would go to the theater to see the latest animation flick. And we have a pretty extensive collection of Blu-rays, DVDs and ... don't laugh... VHS animation titles.

So when a new Disney movie comes out we get more excited than our kids do. And that was just the case with Wreck-It Ralph. Not only was this movie a feel good film that made us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, it was also a film we walked out knowing we'd be back to take our kids to watch it. And I'm pretty sure it'll be in our extensive movie collection as soon as it comes out on Blu-ray!
 

Bad Guy Turned Good
Now Ralph isn't really a bad guy, he just plays one in the game Wreck-It Ralph. And after 30 years of being treated like the bad guy during the game and after the arcade closes, he's ready for a change.  And after getting a chance to turn things around, he's taken on a challenge to finally be accepted.

With this challenge comes obstacles and one of his biggest obstacles is a little girl called Vanellope von Schweetz. The relationship that grows from the journey Ralph and Vanellope take is one that will make you laugh, cry, and just plain feel good!

Realizing Who We Are
With the journey Ralph takes to find his way, he comes to realize that people aren't always who they are. And by following his path and trying to find his way he was able to help Vanellope realize who she was. Ralph and Vanellope come to realize that being the "bad guy" and being the "glitch" can have their advantages. Being different isn't always a bad thing.

I absolutely loved the relationship they formed and the friendships made in this movie. Finding out who we are is important. And not just important for the main characters. The supporting actors, Fix-It Felix and Sergeant Calhoun also come to find themselves and see that they're more than just the characters they play in their games.

If you're looking for a great feel-good movie that will make you leave the theaters with a smile on your face, you have to head out to see Wreck-It Ralph! It hits theaters today and I predict amazing things for this movie. Awards, stars, and more!

Not convinced? Check out this awesome clip from the movie. Then drop all of the plans you thought you had this weekend and head to the theater.

Wreck-It Ralph hits theaters everywhere on November 2nd! 

Stay updated by checking out Wreck-It Ralph on Facebook and on Twitter @WreckItRalph!

Disclaimer: I received tickets to see Wreck-It Ralph for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.  

Be Prepared for a Electrifyingly Good Time with #Frankenweenie!

Last night my family headed on out for a night filled with fun, entertainment, and science!

We were very excited to see the latest Disney great, Frankenweenie, in the movie theaters and could not wait to enjoy it with our friends. Luckily I had already been reading up on the amazing animation and characters behind this movie since a few of my blogging buddies were lucky enough to attend the Frankenweenie preview in Hollywood (see FormulaMom's experience and reviews here). So I knew that we'd love this movie!

For The Love Of Science
Surprisingly, though, I was more excited about the promotion of science through this film. Science is one of those subjects that I just loved in school. Maybe it was because my grandma was a teacher and loved getting me the science kits for Christmas and birthdays? Or maybe it's because science is such a broad topic and just about anything can be thought about scientifically?

A few days before seeing the movie I wanted to share my love of science with my son. He's getting to the age where he loves to do experiments with me and I thought that creating a Frankenweenie experiment of our own would help him get excited for the upcoming film too. So we learned how to inflate a balloon with science. You can see the full tutorial in my guest post on FormulaMom here.

Prepared and Ready To Go!
Do you see that gleam of excitement in his eyes? He absolultely LOVED it! Wait... you didn't go check out that experiment? Go now! I spent the next few days explaining to my son what the movie was about and how he might feel during the film. Now he's 3 1/2. This movie is geared towards older kids so I thought that a run down of the film was important before we went to the event.

Dealing with death and dying (no... I didn't just give away a surprise from the movie... this is Frankenweenie, right?) can be hard at any age. And it can be especially hard with a well liked pet such as Sparky. Since we lost our dog, Jetta, last year I knew that this movie might hit close to home and wanted my son to know that he could ask questions if he had them and he could leave if he didn't feel comfortable watching the movie.

But he was ready to go and couldn't wait to see Frankenweenie so off we went!

Once we got into the theater, cozied up into our comfy seats, started munching on popcorn, and put on our 3-D glasses, we were ready for this movie!

A Mom's Take on this Science Experiment
After a little glitch with our 3-D experiment, we were on our way to learning about the story of Victor Frankenstein and his dog Sparky in their creepy little town of New Holland. Within the first few minutes of the movie I easily fell in love with Victor's dog. He was the definition of man's best friend and I loved seeing the bond he had with his owner.

I absolutely loved the fact that this movie was filled with inspiration from science. The spark of excitement felt by the children as they started to think about their science experiments. And even the emotions felt by the students when their science teacher was let go because of the "small-minded" townspeople who didn't appreciate science. The fact that their science teacher was gone didn't stop these kids from moving on and experimenting!

And once Victor realizes that bringing back Sparky from the dead wasn't the best idea, the idea of science becoming good and bad depending on the scientist behind the experiment emerged. Teaching our children that their actions have consequences and that even if they really want something, sometimes it isn't the best, is important.

This movie touched on a lot of themes. Experiments. Life and death. Love. The bond between human and animal. But most importantly it sparked something in my child's imagination. He woke up the next day and asked if we could work on more science experiments. He wanted to learn more and wanted to create things of his own. And he's only 3 1/2!

While I wouldn't recommend this movie for kids under the age of 8 due to some of the scarrier scenes with a few of the other pets who were brought back to life, I do think that his is a wonderful film for kids and adults alike! It's definitely inspired me to become more active with my kids in teaching them about all aspects of science and I love that.

And no Disney film is complete without a little comedic relief.  I leave you with this clip of one of my favorite characters, Mr. Whiskers. He's also a favorite of my daughters too! She absolutely loved that "kitty" was in almost every scene. Enjoy!

Frankenweenie opens in theaters on October 5th! 

To learn more about the New Holland residents (and their pets!), check out the Frankenweenie website and connect with Frankenweenie on Facebook!

Disclaimer: I received tickets to see Frankenweenie in theaters for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

 

Pre-Order The Amazing Spider-Man on Blu-Ray Today and Take Advantage of Vudu! #SpiderManWMT

We are so excited!! In a month we will be hosting a few of our friends and family for an awesome night filled with Spider-Man. We missed it in theaters and cannot wait to see it when it comes out.

Luckily we've pre-purchased The Amazing Spider-Man on Blu-ray at Wal-Mart and won't have to wait to get our copy of the movie when it comes out in stores on November 6th, our copy will be mailed directly to us!

Not only will our pre-ordered copy of The Amazing Spider-Man be mailed directly to us, we'll also have early access to view it online with Vudu.com. And since we have a Blu-ray, I picked up the exclusive Blu-ray  & DVD movie gift set that comes with an awesome Limited Edition Mask Gift Set. Added bonus? I'm there!

And all of this retails for $24.96 exclusively at Wal-Mart!

While at Wal-Mart I picked up a few items for the part I was going to throw later that month. I saw these adorable cups for the kids and for $2 each I just couldn't pass them up! And as with everything, if I see something I like, I purchase it then because there's no knowing if the same cups will be there when I head back to Wal-Mart to pick up the rest of my party supplies.

You can check out the rest of my shopping experience in my Spider-Man Google + Album here.

Once I returned home it was time to log onto Vudu.com and register my code for the movie. The process was so quick and painless that I had entered my information and received confirmation that everything went through in 5 minutes. I love an easy system!

How Does Vudu Work?

It's simple! Just follow the three simple steps:

1. Pre-purchase your DVD or Blu-Ray
2. Log on to Vudu.com and enter in the redemption code
3. Have early access to your movie on Vudu.com before you receive your copy in the mail

We'll be watching The Amazing Spider-Man on October 30th with friends and family more than a whole week earlier than everyone else! But for now we'll enjoy the bonus features available on Vudu.com. And our Blu-ray/DVD combo pack should be at our doorstep a few days before the official November 9th release date. 

And if you sign up now for an account on Vudu.com you'll receive a free movie!

I cannot wait to watch The Amazing Spider-Man on Blu-ray and enjoy a night of fun, friends, and family at the end of the month! Stay tuned for an updated post with pictures, decorations, and recipes from our Spider-Man party later this month.

Pre-purchase your copy of The Amazing Spider-Man today at Wal-Mart and take advantage of all of the perks. Your movie delivered right to your door, bonus features on Vudu.com, and access to the movie before your movie arrives at your door!

Check out this trailer to see what you're in store for:



For more about The Amazing Spiderman head on over to the Spider-Man Facebook page and follow them on twitter at @SpiderManMovie.

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. All opinions are my own #CBias #SocialFabric 

Frankenweenie Games and Fun for the Family

I love my pooch, Scout. He's a member of the family and was our first kid before we had kids. And as much as we love him, I'm not sure if I'd want to bring him back to life should he pass. I guess I've never thought of trying to bring him back to life.

That is.. until seeing trailers for the movie Frankenweenie.

I cannot wait to see Frankenweenie, Disney's latest heartwarming tale about a boy and his dog from Tim Burton. And it's coming just in time for HalloweenTime!

In an effort to get my kids excited about the movie I've downloaded these awesome Pin the Tail on Sparky activity sheet and Sparky maze. Download them for your kids and start getting ready for the fun to come in just a few weeks!
 

Don't miss seeing Frankenweenie 

in theaters everywhere October 5th!

(enjoy this sneak peek Frankenweenie Tale of Victor and Sparky)

Grab the Tissues! You're going to need them {Disney's The Odd Life of Timothy Green #Timothy Green}

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When I was in New York City for BlogHer'12 I had the honor of being able to pre-screen an amazing movie. Disney's The Odd Life of Timothy Green is emotional, magical, and just plain amazing.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is the heartwarming story of a couple pained with infertility. They were at the end of their hope and left one night to continuing the dream of their perfect child. With that (and a little magic) Timothy Green came into their lives... through their garden.

Throughout this whole movie I found myself going through a wave of different emotions; heartbreak, happiness, joy, sadness, and then finally a wave of content. I absolutely loved the magic of it all. The mystery behind Timothy.

With all of their hopes and dreams of their unborn child in one small wooden box burried in the garden, Cindy and Jim Green (played by Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) buried their chances of parenthood. Until a freak storm came, poured water from the heavens, and a special boy appeared.

As the story unfolded and we grew to love Timothy right along with the Green's an amazing realization hit. Every attribute and characteristic Cindy and Jim wrote in that little wooden box matched Timothy. And every moment his parents realized this they became more and more wound up in what everyone else thought of Timothy rather than how they were with him.

Seeing them struggle with parenting, how to confront issues in their immediate and extended family, as well as deal with the hardship of the economy in this country created a storyline that not only seemed plausible, but hit home.

But through what Timothy taught them, and many others, hard times weren't as hard as they once were. And everything seemed a little more possible.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is truly the summers most magical movie and should not be missed! It's been in theaters for 5 days now and would make for a perfect afternoon out with family.If you're looking for a great way to beat the heat this weekend, go see this movie.

Check your local theater for showtimes now!

You can keep up with all things Timothy Green by liking The Odd Life of Timothy Green on Facebook  and following on Twitter.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is in theaters everywhere now!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ticket to see The Odd Life of Timothy Green for promotional purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Disney's Oz The Great and Powerful {Sneek Peak Poster}

I cannot wait to see the previews for this movie! 

The fantastical adventure is from the Producer of “Alice in Wonderland” and the Director of the “Spider-Man” Trilogy. 2013 hurry up and get here.

Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well. 

 “Oz The Great and Powerful” is produced by Joe Roth and written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire (credit not final). Grant Curtis, Philip Steuer and Palak Patel are serving as executive producers. “Oz The Great and Powerful” opens in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2013. 

Grandparents Rock

I could never say anything bad about my in-laws.

My kids absolutely love spending time with my husband's parents and they love my kids right back. On a moments notice they're ready to take over for us and have allowed us to enjoy time alone quite often.

This weekend wasn't any different. After reading the awesome reviews of The Avengers and hearing the great interviews a few of my blogger friends did with the cast, I asked my husband if he'd like to go see the movie.

He quickly agreed and we made sure we weren't busy Sunday morning (the PERFECT time to go see any movie... $6 tickets at AMC for morning shows and no crowds). I called up my mother-in-law on Thursday or Friday to see if she was available and luckily she was.

She also mentioned watching the kids cousin that afternoon as well so we knew our son would be very excited for some playtime with his cousin. And he reminded me quite often on Saturday that he would be going to Grandma Ann's house and cousin would be there to play with him later.

Sunday quickly came and when we all woke up, my son quickly dressed and tried to hurry us out the door so he could get to Grandma's. We dropped off the kids at around 9am and headed on our way to see the movie.

While we were away the kids ate, played, napped, played, and enjoyed time with their grandparents. They even received a surprise visit from their favorite aunts who live a few blocks away. I knew the whole time we were gone that we wouldn't have to worry about them at all. They always have a great time with Grandma and Grandpa.

It was so nice to have the time after the movie to eat lunch together. I even enjoyed a glass of sangria with my Korean beef tacos and salad.  And I ate my meal while it was still hot!

When we got back to the grandparents house, Cousin had just been dropped off and the three grandkids were playing outside together while Grandma and the aunts watched them. Once we arrived Grandpa announced that it was time to take the boys on an adventure. They were going to head out to go on a Seal Tour! Little miss wouldn't enjoy this quite as much as the boys so she headed home with us.

Not only did my son get to hang out and play with his sister at Grandma and Grandpas, he got to go on an adventure with his cousin and Grandpa too!

Now I have wanted to take the kids on this boat/land tour for quite some time however we just never seem to get around to it. So when I heard that Grandpa wanted to take the lead and bring the cousins with him I was more than thrilled. It's adventures like today the kids will remember when they're older.

After their boat tour Grandpa took them back to enjoy some fun at Ocean Beach. They got to play in the sand and get soaking wet while Grandma and Grandpa watched them. I received this picture below while we were at Mass...

I guess when you go on a spur of the moment beach adventure pants are optional.

See... how could I complain with in-laws like this?

Oh, and the movie was awesome! Definitely a must see. I'm glad we saw it in the theaters instead of via redbox (we're watching the movies that lead up to this one by renting them on redbox).

Do you have family to watch the kids when you need a bit of time away?

Learning from The Lorax

Last weekend we had the opportunity to go see The Lorax. I won tickets from Mel, A Dramatic Mommy's blog and we headed out for our morning of fun last Saturday. Before winning I was already planning on taking the kids to see this movie. Not only do we love Dr. Seuss in this family but we also love the story of the Lorax. My nephew even dressed up as The Onceler two years ago for Halloween.

So when we started seeing previews for the movie and reading about it on various blogs (like on Mary and Mel's blogs) I knew we had to find out when it came out and when we could see it.

We aren't big on going to check out a movie the weekend it opens. We don't like taking the kids to crowded theaters because, well, they're 1 and 3 and they usually aren't really good about staying in one spot or being quiet throughout the whole movie. So we were planning for our usual wait two weeks after it comes out, early Sunday morning or afternoon showing and were considering bringing my nephew since he's such a fan of the book. Well, as you already know, we didn't end up waiting to see this movie and I'm so glad we didn't!

This was the first 3-D showing that my son has actually sat through, with his glasses on, the whole time! And he was excited, interested and talked about the movie with us afterward. The meaning behind the movie really hit home and I was so happy to have a storyline that went hand in hand with what I'm trying to teach the kids. The Lorax "speaks for the trees" and protects the forest. When the Onceler comes into town he threatens to destroy the forest and with that, everything that lives in there. Sound familiar?

After watching the movie, my son asked if we could plant more plants in our (overcrowded) garden. I know he's taking the message home. He's three. By being cautious of our footprint on the earth, making greener choices and re-planting what we cut down we're sure to enjoy this planet a bit longer.

If the youth of today pick up this message sooner than we did then maybe we'll be in a better place in 20+ years. If not, we might get stuck in Thneed-ville. What a scary thought!

If you're interested in making more of your viewing of The Lorax consider throwing a pre-screening party or making some fun and unique Lorax and Dr. Seuss crafts with the kids like Tonya Staab did. To make the outing even more special make a family day out of it. Plan breakfast before or lunch after and talk with your kids about the movie and what they learned. I was quite interested to hear what my son had to say when we enjoyed some Panera after the movie. He really learned a lot and I wasn't expecting some of the things he took in.

"Unless we plant more trees, mama, they might all disappear!" Was what he said to me as we talked about the movie and ate our sandwiches.

To read about other Lorax sightings check out these awesome blogs:

Raising Three Savvy Ladies (and enter to win movie tickets on her blog here)
San Diego Today's Mama (and her experience meeting Zac Efron!)
The Eco Chic


Have you gone to see The Lorax yet? Are you planning on it? What did you think?