Family Movies

Will My Kids Love Ant-Man and The Wasp?

June 30, 2018 by Danielle

There have been quite a few big movies this summer already, so does Ant-Man and the Wasp deserve your family’s time? Yes it does. A solid follow up that continues the story of Ant-Man in a fun and exciting adventure.

Ant-Man and the Wasp picks up the clues laid out in the first film and focuses on finding the mom and wife of Hope (the new Wasp) and Dr Pym. Along the way several obstacles get in the way and must be dealt with before the rescue attempt can be made. One of the obstacles is a new quasi-villain called Ghost. She phases in and out and can pass through materials effortlessly. She is not an evil villain, but is self-serving with her own motives that are at odds with the Pym’s efforts. In this film Ant-Man gets caught up in the middle of trying to help the Pym family while still trying to lie low and not draw any law enforcement attention because of his involvement with the Avenger’s Civil War.

All of the action you saw in the first film is repeated here. Shrinking and growing combat style. along with lots of ants. This is all done with the humor that previous Marvel films and Ant-Man have established.

It is pretty safe to say if you liked the first Ant-Man you will like this sequel too. It was very entertaining and an enjoyable film. The film’s story is crafted well enough that it moves along in a way that makes sense and flows well. Really, it is a good summer diversion.

I walked away having enjoyed Evangeline Lilly’s performance as Hope. Paul Rudd delivered again as Ant-Man in a satisfying way. There were a lot of big names in this movie that were great to see, but the supporting characters, like Michael Pena, who plays Ant-Man’s roommate and business partner were excellent as well.

This film has lots of action and a few fight scenes, but it is all pretty clean. Most tense scenes get diffused with humor shortly after. This film would be okay for a 7 year old or older. Ant-Man and the Wasp is definitely worth a viewing this summer.

Want a peek into the movie? Check out this “Who is the Wasp?” featurette!

Star Wars Episode 8: The Last Jedi Review

December 16, 2017 by Joseph

Its been a day since the last time we saw the Last Jedi. We have seen it twice now because it takes a couple of viewings to appreciate the details and fully immerse yourself in new Star Wars content that goes by fast. What’s great about this movie is that society is buzzing about it. We were at the mall wearing Star Wars clothing and people ask “Have you seen the movie?” In this day and age when people communicate via computer/device it is kind of nice to connect again with strangers in person with causal fan talk.

This episode picks up shortly after episode 8. At this point we are reset back to good (The Resistance) vs evil (The First Order) as the new Republic government was destroyed by the Star Killer Base. So the rebels are on the run led by Leia Organa, Kylo Ren along with General Hux are in pursuit, and Rey has found Luke Skywalker for what she hopes will be training in the use of the Force. Additionally Fin and a new character, Rose, have a side story with a social message that gave me a little bit of a Star Trek story tone. As with Rogue One hope and never giving up are themes that continue. After all, rebellions built on hope.

We liked the movie. As you have probably heard it sets things up so that you think you know what is about to happen and then it turns and does the opposite. That story telling technique works well for this episode. With so much Star Wars content (and more on the way) they need to mix things up every now and again. Its worth noting that the humor is also present strongly in this story which is not bad.

For a Star Wars movie the characters were given a little more substance than normal. For example I think Poe Dameron grew from where he was during his first scene as hot head shoot first to the end where he is in tune with the bigger picture. Rose was a fine addition to the story and was a character with compassion and care. Mark Hamil did a solid job portraying Luke Sywalker again. Finally Carrie Fisher was also good portraying Leia again. I would like to take a moment and say I really enjoyed the actors who played the smaller parts as officers on the First Order ships and the Rebel cruiser. As background characters they emoted enough in their performances that I cared about them.

Locations are decent. Luke’s island is pretty cool. There is more happening there than I thought. A lot of good scenes of Luke’s life style. Canto Bight was the casino planet and as so serves as the Star Wars’s “bar scene” that seems to be part of the formula now where they can show case different aliens. Finally Crait looks like Hoth at first, but provides a couple of cool Millenium Falcon scenes that reminded me very much of the original Star Tours Comet sequence at Disneyland.

Obviously you NEED to see the new Star Wars movie. You will be entertained and enjoy your time. For a Star Wars fan it felt satisfying, but one wonders how episode 9 will go. Personally I hoping for some great big revelation that ties everything together in a “oooohhhhh” moment, but I guess we got to wait and hope with our fellow rebels.

If you are taking your family to this movie you probably want to leave the 5 and under crowd at home. There is no real blood and guts gore. Typical blaster fire hits and person falls down. A lot of explosions with loud noises. Check out a sneak peek of the training these Jediwent through to prepare for the movie!

Have you seen The Last Jedi yet?

Filed Under: Disney, DIsney Movies Tagged With: Disney Movies, Family Movies, Movies, Star Wars, Star Wars The Last Jedi

How to Make a Pool Noodle Boat + Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales on BluRay!

October 2, 2017 by Danielle

Looking for some fun STEM crafts for your school-aged child? Why not make these fun pool noodle boats and challenge your child to find a design that will float and race! This post contains affiliate links. By clicking on the link, I will receive a small amount of money back if you purchase anything.

This summer we spent a lot of time outdoors. Whether we were playing, exploring on our own, or making updates around the yard at the house, it just made sense to stay outside as much as possible. And with that, we also wanted to spend time with friends so we made sure we didn’t miss the movie night hosted at our kids school.

In celebration of the great weather and being outside, we put together a cute pool noodle boat station where kids could come up and design their own boats and race them against their friends. It was a great activity to share before the movie started and kept the kids active as it became dark.

What we loved was how easy it was for the kids to “get” it and start to create their own designs with little to no help from us. And I loved seeing all of their final designs once they were done decorating them. If you’re looking for a great outdoor STEM activity for the kids to try, grab some pool noodles, straws, and parchment paper and make a pool noodle boat to race!

How to Make a Pool Noodle Boat

What you’ll need:

pool noodles (we preferred having 2 colors/shapes)
straws
parchment paper
hole punch
stickers/markers/crayons to decorate
drink umbrellas
Rain gutter with end caps

What you do:

Cut the pool noodles into 1″-1.5″ rounds. Place in a shallow container.

Taking the parchment paper, cut out sails in trapezoid shape. Punch a hole on the top and bottom that fits a straw. Place sails in container with cut pool noodles.

Place straws in a cup with drink umbrellas and set next to cut pool noodles and sails.

Let kids put together their boats using their own designs and then have them decorate them to make them unique.

Fill rain gutter (with end caps secure) with water and let the kids race their boats. Try using extra straws to blog into the sails unless you already have a natural wind going.

Did the boats float? Did they sink? Did they move down the rain gutter with ease?

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales on BluRay

Did you know that Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tale is coming out on n 4K Ultra HD™/Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On-Demand tomorrow? YUP!! This activity would be a fun way to celebrate this new release. Just set up a movie night with your family or invite friends over for some fun, grab a copy of Pirates of the Carribean, set up an outdoor movie night and enjoy a fun time outdoors!

What’s your favorite outdoor STEM activities for kids?

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Filed Under: Crafts/DIY, Disney, DIsney Movies, Kids Crafts, Outdoor Crafts and Activities, STEM Crafts and Activities Tagged With: Disney Movies, Family Activities, family movie night, Family Movies, kid friendly activities, kids activities, movie night, Movie Night Ideas, Pirates of the Carribean, STEM

Christmas Came Early: Star Wars The Force Awakens

December 17, 2015 by Joseph

A Christmas gift delivered early, is what Star Wars The Force Awakens is and what a special treat it is! When this film was announced I felt a nervous excitement. Would it feel like Star Wars? Would the story be any good? Would the original cast be back? Well, that would be yes, yes, and yes.

We start with the familiar Star Wars scroll to fill us in on with what has happened since Endor. Pieces of the Empire, now organized as the First Order, have carried on and continued to wage war with the Rebels, now called the Resistance. It is still good versus evil. And, of course, we have a Star Wars mystery on our hands. Luke has started a new Jedi Academy, but it has been disbanded when one of his students turns on him which drives Luke into hiding. We just don’t fully know the circumstances of this event yet and no one knows exactly where he is. The rest of movie revolves around both sides getting to Luke first. We meet two new young characters along the way who help with this quest. The first Rey, a scavenger on the planet Jakku and Finn a former stormtrooper. Rae has an interesting backstory that has yet to be revealed I think. Finn provides some heart and is a character that is battling the urge to run versus standing up for something more. Finally, we have our bad guys Kylo Ren and General Hux guided by a mysterious figure named supreme leader Snoke who give good chase throughout the movie.

This movie really felt like the Star Wars universe of episodes 4-6. It had a lot of creatures and droids that appeared to be very well done puppets and it had the signature “lived in feel” that Star Wars pioneered. The imagery on Jakku was amazing with the backdrop of the decaying war machine relics of a battle between the Empire and the Rebels. Throughout the movie, we are treated to mementos of the previous films. I was also pleasantly surprised by some of the humor mixed in.

I enjoyed seeing the original cast’s presence in the film. The roles they were given were a satisfying bridge between the old trilogy and this new one. The new characters were engaging enough and as a member of the audience felt vested them. The story is not overly complex and easy to understand as opposed to some of the prequels. For the most part, I was able to suspend my belief as the story unfolds. After a first viewing (I plan to see this one more time in the theater) I put this at 2nd or 3rd place in the series behind Empire Strikes Back, my personal favorite, and A New Hope.

With the marketing machine going strong in the toy aisles across America your kids probably know about this movie. So should you take them to see it? The movie is rated PG13 and it gets that from what I can tell is all the blaster fire and storm troopers dying. There was a scene or two with some blood. The language seemed to be okay with no swear words that I could recall. I would recommend 7 years and older.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS arrives in theaters everywhere on December 18th!

Planning to wait in line to watch the movie? Print out this Star Wars Activity Packet to make the wait more fun!

Are you heading to the theaters this weekend to see The Force Awakens?

Filed Under: DIsney Movies, Entertainment, Uncategorized Tagged With: Disney Movies, Family Movies, Movie, movie theaters, Movies, Star Wars, Star Wars The Force Awakens

5 Awesome Family Movie Night Movies For Kids Coming Out Soon

December 12, 2015 by Danielle

I don’t know about you but I love to hoard a few movies from my kids to bust out on lazy days. Or rainy days where we don’t have any other plans. Being able to sneak out a movie that just came out and share it with them is always fun! Plus it’s a great excuse to pop some popcorn and snuggle up. I’ve received a few DVDs for review with the kids and cannot wait to share them with you so you can enjoy your own family movie night soon!

5 Awesome Family Movie Night Movies

1. Minions

Are your minions… er… kids as excited about Minions on DVD/Blu Ray as mine are? As soon as my daughter heard them announce that Minions were available, she hounded me every day until the day it was released. Talk about pressure when you are trying to save a movie as a Christmas gift! Now that the cat’s out of the bag and the movie won’t be a Christmas gift, we’re looking at other Minions inspired gifts Santa can place in the kids stockings this year. If you have a Minions fan in your home, you won’t want to miss these!

The breakout stars the world fell in love with in Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Despicable Me global film franchise headline their own movie for the first time in Minions, available on Digital HD November 24, 2015, and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on December 8, 2015 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. A much anticipated prequel to the unprecedented worldwide blockbusters Despicable Me and the beloved sequel Despicable Me 2, Minions is an immensely entertaining film for all audiences called “inventive and hilarious” by Julian Roman, Movieweb.com. The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and Digital HD also come with three all-new mini-movies and even more Minions everyone will want to watch again and again especially during the busy holiday travel season.

2. Wild Kratts Australian Adventures

PBS is releasing “WILD KRATTS: AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURES” on DVD January 5, 2016. “AUSTRALIAN ADVENTURES” includes three episodes of the PBS KIDS hit series WILD KRATTS, one of which is a bonus story! From exploring how a thorny devil drinks water to learning about a koala’s favorite food, kids can join the Kratt Brothers as they travel throughout Australia and provide insight into some amazing and unique animals.

In the first two episodes on this DVD, the Kratt Brothers explore the Australian Outback. In “Koala Balloon,” the brothers find a stranded koala in the desert. In order to help the koala the brothers work to get their new friend back to its eucalyptus forest habitat. In “Kickin’ it with the Roos,” the brothers are motoring through the Australian Outback in the createrra looking for red kangaroos. When the brothers finally locate a mob of red kangaroos, they run into trouble when the keys to the createrra are stolen by a joey. This episode also features two fascinating birds – a kookaburra and a wedge-tailed eagle!

In the bonus episode on this DVD, “Platypus Café,” the brothers learn about one of the most unusual animals in the world – the duck-billed platypus. In order to get to know this creature, Martin and Chris use the miniaturizer to shrink and enter a platypus burrow.

3. Hotel Transylvania 2

Sony Pictures Animation’s monster family box-office hit HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2, which grossed more than $430 million in theaters worldwide to date, will debut on Digital HD Dec. 22, just in time for holiday viewing and on Blu-ray 3D™ Combo Pack, Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on Jan. 12 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

The Hotel Transylvania sequel reunites ‘Drac’s Pack’ of loveable characters, led by “Vampa” Drac (Adam Sandler, Grown-Ups) as they try to put Mavis (Selena Gomez, Spring Breakers) and Johnny’s (Andy Samberg, TV’s “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”) son Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp to bring out his vampire side. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad (comedy legend Mel Brooks) is about to pay the family a visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania, it doesn’t take long for things to get batty!

4. Captain Jake and the Neverland Pirates: The Great Never Sea Conquest

Captain Jake and the Neverland Pirates: The Great Never Sea Conquest is available to Own on Disney DVD on Jan. 12! Join newly promoted Captain Jake as he unites Never Land’s all-time greatest pirates! When evil mer-witch Ezmeralda tries to take over the Never Sea by awakening the Strake, a legendary three-headed sea serpent, Jake and his crew try to intervene but encounter Lord Fathom and his sidekick Sinker. Jake forms a team of “Never Land League of Pirate Captains” to battle them all and in the process, outfitted with a magical new sword and a powerful new ship, (the Mighty Colossus), he becomes a Captain himself. Loaded with excitement, additional adventures and a powerful message about believing in yourself, this high-stakes, high-seas adventure is oceans of swashbuckling fun for everyone!

5. Snow White

Forever enchanting and inspiring, Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs embodies The Walt Disney Signature Collection’s legacy of animation. In this epic story of love and friendship, the kind and beautiful princess Snow White wins the hearts of the Seven Dwarfs and triumphs over the evil plans of a wicked Queen. Share the movie called “The Greatest Animated Film Of All Time,” (American Film Institute) on Blu-ray February 2nd and on Digital HD January 19th, with special features for the entire family!

What’s your child’s favorite movie right now?

Filed Under: Disney, DIsney Movies, Entertainment, Uncategorized Tagged With: Blu-Ray/DVD, Disney DVD, Disney Movies, DVD, family movie night, Family Movies, Hotel Transylvania, kids DVDs, Minions, Snow White, Wild Kratts

Family Movie Night Snack Recipes with Superheros and M&M’s

September 5, 2014 by Danielle

This shop featuring family movie night snack recipes has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HeroesEatMMs

We are pretty big comic fans in this house. And Marvel tops our charts of awesome. From attending San Diego Comic Con since before it was cool (we could literally walk up and buy badges the day of!), to watching every Marvel movie that comes out on the big screen, we take our superheros seriously.

With the release of Captain America: Winter Soldier on Blu-ray/DVD on September 9th, we thought it fitting to have a family movie night superhero style with delicious M&M’s® inspired treats. So I piled up our favorite Avengers movies – including Avengers, Captain America, The Hulk, Iron Man, and Thor – and let the kids choose which one they wanted to watch.

20+ Delicious Casserole Recipes to Feed a Crowd

April 9, 2014 by Danielle

Have you watched Delivery Man yet? If not, definitely pick up a copy! This compilation of 20+ delicious casserole recipes to feed a crowd is inspired by this recipe. And the 533 kids underachiever David Wozniak fathered via donations made twenty years earlier!

This heartwarming comedy about a man who discovers that the shock of his life might just be the best thing that’s ever happened to him. Along the way he discovers not only his true self, but also the father he could become.

So whip up one of these casserole dishes for the family, pop in the Delivery Man Blu-Ray, and enjoy a great family night with Vince Vaughn, Cobie Smulders & Chris Pratt. It’s one the whole family will enjoy. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Breakfast, Dinner, Entertainment, In the Kitchen, Recipes, Uncategorized Tagged With: breakfast casseroles, casserole, casseroles, Delivery Man, Family Movies, Movies, Recipes