VEEP COMING TO BLU-RAY

Seventeen time Emmy Award winner, Veep will soon be available to add to your home entertainment video library on Blu-ray.  Get ready to binge on all 65 episodes from this HBO original series, along with all the previously released special features. Rated TV-MA, you can purchase VEEP: THE COMPLETE SERIES on Blu-ray from Amazon.com beginning October 22, 2024.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the Vice President of the United States in this hilarious HBO comedy series. Each episode of Veep follows her whirlwind day-to-day existence as she puts out political fires, juggles public and private demands and defends the interests of the chief executive--with whom she shares a uniquely dysfunctional relationship.

The series lead, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, received six Outstanding Lead Actress wins, with critics and fans hailing her performance. Veep also won Outstanding Comedy Series three times, and costar Tony Hale took home two awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor. The Veep cast also includes Anna Chlumsky, Reid Scott, Timothy Simons, Matt Walsh, Sufe Bradshaw, Kevin Dunn, Gary Cole, Sam Richardson, Sarah Sutherland, and Clea DuVall.

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BINGE WATCH SUCCESSION ON BLU-RAY

Thanks to Warner Bros Discovery Home Entertainment for providing ageekdaddy.com with the featured product for promotional consideration

Succession: The Complete Series which includes all 39 episodes from all four seasons of this hit HBO tv series, plus over 20 bonus features including Inside the Episode featurettes, Character Recaps, Cast and Crew Interviews and more is now available to add to your home entertainment video library on Blu-ray. You can purchase Succession: The Complete Series on Blu-ray from Amazon.com

Rated TV-MA by HBO, Succession earned an impressive 75 Emmy® nominations and 19 wins over its four-season run. The series achieved a remarkable streak, being nominated for Outstanding Drama Series throughout all four seasons and securing the Emmy® win three times (2020, 2022, 2023). In its fourth and final season, Succession dominated the Emmy® field with 27 nominations and secured six wins, including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor, and Outstanding Lead Actress. The season also set a new record for Golden Globe TV award nominations with nine total and winning four, including Best Television Series (Drama) — its third win in that category.

Power, politics, money...it’s all in the family in this provocative, satirical series about a highly dysfunctional dynasty. When the aging patriarch of one of the world’s largest media conglomerates considers retirement, his family members position themselves for a takeover. But tensions rise as corporate battles threaten to turn into a family civil war in this sharp, scathing, binge-worthy series.

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ARTHUR THE KING

Available now to add to your home entertainment video library is ARTHUR THE KING from Lions Gate Entertainment starring Academy Award® nominee Mark Wahlberg (2006, Best Supporting Actor, The Departed). Rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for some strong language, ARTHUR THE KING is a great selection for a family movie night. Based upon the emotional true story of adventure racer Mikael Lindnord and Arthur, the dog that changed his life, can be purchased on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. 

In ARTHUR THE KING, an unbreakable bond is forged between a pro adventure racer named Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg) and a scrappy street dog companion dubbed Arthur over the course of a grueling 10-day, 435-mile racecourse. Desperate for one last chance to win, Light convinces a sponsor to back him and a team of athletes for the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. Pushing the team to the outer limits of endurance and sacrifice, Arthur redefines what victory, loyalty, and friendship truly mean.

Thank you to Lions Gate for providing this Geek Daddy an ARTHUR THE KING Blu-ray for a family movie night plus another one to giveaway on ageekdaddy.com. One randomly selected entrant from the rafflecopter entries below will get their own Blu-ray of the film to enjoy. Submit your entries by 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, June 2, 2024. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to participate in this promotion. Lions Gate Entertainment is responsible for the delivery of the giveaway prize not this blog.

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Home video releases are known for their bonus content beyond the featured presentation and ARTHUR KING includes the following:

• Audio Commentary with Director Simon Cellan Jones and Author Mikael Lindnord;
• Audio Commentary with Producers Tucker Tooley and Tessa Tooley;
• Audio Commentary with Producer Mark Canton and Executive Producer Dorothy Canton;
• “Finding Arthur” featurette;
• “A Love Letter to Arthur” featurette;
• “A Dog’s Journey: Making Arthur the King” featurette;
•  Mark Wahlberg and Best Friends Animal Society;
•  Theatrical Trailer

Additionally, consumers who purchase or rent the movie from Fandango receive a Home Exclusive Featurette – “Adventure Racing: On Set”.

For more information about the film, visit arthurtheking.movie

STARGIRL COMPLETE SECOND SEASON ON HOME VIDEO

It is time to suit up and get ready to face the darkness with the release of DC's Stargirl: The Complete Second Season on Blu-ray and DVD arriving from Warner Bros Home Entertainment on February 8, 2022. All thirteen episodes that originally aired on The CW along with a featurette and gag reel as bonus content will be included with the complete second season of Stargirl to add to your home entertainment video library. 

DC's Stargirl follows high school sophomore Courtney Whitmore (Brec Bassinger) and her stepfather Pat Dugan (Luke Wilson) as she leads an unlikely group of young heroes to take on the legacy of the Justice Society of America. In this second season of the show, Courtney and her friends take on one of the most frightening adversaries in DC mythology -- the dark entity of corruption known as Eclipso (Nick Tarabay). 

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Thank you to Warner Bros Home Entertainment for providing ageekdaddy.com with a free Blu-ray of Stargirl: The Complete Second Season for promotional consideration. 

Are you following us at @Geekdad248 on Instagram and Twitter for alerts about interesting new Blu-ray and DVD releases? 

SUPERMAN THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES

Warner Bros Home Entertainment provided ageekdaddy.com a complimentary Blu-Ray box set of SUPERMAN: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES, which originally began airing in 1996, all 54 episodes of the television series have been remastered and are being released in a Blu-Ray box set on October 26, 2021. SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES provides an imaginative, heartfelt look at the Man of Steel's adventures in Metropolis alongside Lois Lane and opposite the villainous likes of Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Darkseid and more. The television series garnered 11 Emmy Award nominations and two Emmy Award wins, including top honors as the Outstanding Special Class Animated Program of 1998. 

SUPERMAN: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES box set features nearly 21 hours of entertainment spread over six Blu-Ray discs, which includes not just all the exciting episodes of the tv show but also lots of bonus content including an all-new series-defining featurette entitled Superman: Timeless Icon, a special video commentary episode and three specially selected episodes with audio commentaries by the showrunners.  Plus all 54 episodes have been remastered from the original 35mm Interpositive sources, giving special attention to extensive color correction, dirt and scratch clean up, and adding a grain reduction pass to create a pristine picture, all while making sure not to affect the original lines in the artwork of the animation. The audio was also retransferred from the original audio masters. The remastered episodes though are still presented in the series' original aspect ratio (4x3) to maintain their original look just with cleaner and crisper imagery and sound.

Following a precedent set by Batman: The Animated Series, these Superman cartoons featured numerous guest stars. Notable series guest stars featured Mark Hamill, Ed Asner, Dean Jones, Melissa Joan Hart, Robert Morse, Al Roker, Brian Cox, Jason Priestley, Peter Gallagher, David Warner, Michael Dorn, Christopher McDonald, Bruce Weitz, Andrea Martin, Miguel Ferrer, Ron Perlman, Bud Cort, Gilbert Gottfried, Robert Hays, Dennis Haysbert, Laraine Newman, Nancy Travis, Xander Berkeley, Jonathan Harris, John Glover, Sandra Bernhard, Jack Carter, Ernie Hudson, Henry Silva, and Robert Patrick. The cast and guest stars for SUPERMAN THE ANIMATED SERIES provided for a true A list of talent involved in producing the show whose resumes include one Academy Award and 10 Oscar nominations; 37 Emmy Awards and 186 Emmy nominations; 16 Golden Globe Awards and 54 nominations; five Annie Awards and 38 nominations; four Grammy Awards and 14 nominations; and nine individuals honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There really was some super talent involved with this animated series!

Tim Daly (Madame Secretary, Private Practice, Wings) led the cast as Clark Kent and Superman alongside Dana Delany (Body of Proof, Desperate Housewives, China Beach) as Lois Lane, David Kaufman (Danny Phantom, Stuart Little) as Jimmy Olsen and Clancy Brown (Dexter, The Shawshank Redemption, SpongeBob SquarePants) as Lex Luthor. The star-studded cast included series regulars – and their characters – Lauren Tom (Angela Chen), Victor Brandt (Professor Hamilton), Corey Burton (Brainiac), Joseph Bologna (Dan Turpin), George Dzundza (Perry White), Brad Garrett (Bibbo Bibbowski), Shelley Fabares (Martha Kent), Joanna Cassidy (Maggie Sawyer), Lisa Edelstein (Mercy Graves), Mike Farrell (Jonathan Kent) and Michael Ironside (Darkseid).

If you buy SUPERMAN: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES utilizing a Geek Daddy affiliate link this blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into this blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

THE NIGHT HOUSE

Searchlight Pictures provided ageekdaddy.com with a complimentary digital code for the featured movie.

Just in time for the Halloween season, Searchlight Pictures’ psychological-thriller The Night House is available now on digital and on Blu-ray and DVD October 19th. This movie, directed by David Bruckner and starring Rebecca Hall, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for Some Violence, a Disturbing Image, Sexual References, and Language within the film. If you are looking for a ghost story to provide a terror-ific movie night check out The Night House which has been certified FRESH on Rotten Tomatoes.  

Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together -- but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husband's belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing -- a mystery she's determined to unravel.

SPACE JAM A NEW LEGACY

Warner Bros Home Entertainment provided ageekdaddy.com with a complimentary Blu-ray of Space Jam: A New Legacy and promotional swag pack.

It is time to Jam! Warner Bros Home Entertainment just released Space Jam: A New Legacy on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD today. You know we are going to be having a family movie night this week to watch it plus to share how geeked my family is about Space Jam: A New Legacy coming out on home video we are hosting a giveaway this week of a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code film prize pack.

Who wants it?! One lucky winner will be selected from those who submit entries in the Rafflecopter form below. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to participate in this promotion. Entries must be submitted before 11:59 pm ET on Friday, October 8, 2021. Warner Bros Home Entertainment will be responsible for sending the Space Jam: A New Legacy movie prize pack to our randomly selected giveaway winner. Good luck to all our entrants!

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Space Jam: A New Legacy is a manic mashup of two worlds that reveals just how far some parents will go to connect with their kids. When LeBron and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.'s digitalized champions on the court: a powered-up roster of professional basketball stars as you've never seen them before. It's Tunes versus Goons in the highest-stakes challenge of his life, that will redefine LeBron's bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being yourself. The ready-for-action Tunes destroy convention, supercharge their unique talents and surprise even "King" James by playing the game their own way.

Buy Space Jam: A New Legacy using a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this dad blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into the blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

FLASH SEASON SEVEN ON BLU-RAY

It's time to escape the Mirrorverse, resurrect the Speed Force and make every second count! The Flash is back to protect Central City with his lightening fast super abilities. If you missed any of the episodes from Season Seven of The Flash that aired on the CW don't dread as know all eighteen episodes can be binge watched on Blu-ray. Warner Bros Home Entertainment is releasing THE FLASH: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON on Blu-ray on October 12, 2021.

In addition to all 18 riveting one-hour episodes from season seven, the Blu-ray also includes never-before-seen bonus content including deleted scenes and a gag reel. Also included is the DC FanDome session The Flash (Watchverse). Enjoy watching The Flash on Blu-ray with 1080p Full HD Video with DTS-HD Master Audio for English .1. The Flash stars Grant Gustin (Arrow, Glee), Candice Patton (The Game), Danielle Panabaker (Sky High, Friday the 13th), Carlos Valdes (Arrow, Once), Danielle Nicolet (Central Intelligence), Kayla Compton (Making Moves), Brandon McKnight (The Shape of Water) and Jesse L. Martin (Law & Order).

After the Season 6 cliffhanger which saw the brilliant and powerful Eva McCulloch victorious and still-at-large in Central City, Barry Allen/The Flash must regroup in order to stop her and bring back his missing wife. With help from the rest of Team Flash, Barry will ultimately defeat Mirror Monarch and reunite with Iris West-Allen. But in doing so, he'll unleash two more devastating threats: one that could tear his marriage apart ... and another that will lay siege to Central City and change the future forever.

Purchase THE FLASH: THE COMPLETE SEVENTH SEASON using a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this blog will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into this blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Thanks for your support of ageekdaddy.com!

FOREVER PURGE

Thank you to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment for a complimentary Blu-ray for me plus sponsoring ageekdaddy.com giveaway

A new installment of THE PURGE franchise is arriving on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD to add to your home entertainment video library beginning September 28, 2021. In addition to the movie THE FOREVER PURGE, the home video release features bonus content that includes an alternate storyboard opening, deleted scene and a behind-the-scenes look inside the creation of the stunts, wild costumes, action and gore shown within the feature presentation. From Blumhouse, the legendary producers that brought you Halloween (2018)and The Invisible Man (2020), THE FOREVEVER PURGE stars Ana de la Reguera (Cowboys & Aliens), Tenoch Huerta (Days of Grace), Cassidy Freeman (“The Righteous Gemstones”), Leven Rambin (The Hunger Games), with Josh Lucas  (Ford v Ferrari) and Will Patton (Halloween). The movie is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for strong/bloody violence and language throughout.

To add some excitement to this release, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will send one lucky fan of a Geek Daddy's blog a Blu-ray/Digital combo pack of THE FOREVER PURGE. Who wants it?! Just complete the rafflecopter entries below before 11:59 pm ET on Tuesday, September 28, 2021. Must be a United States resident over 21 years old to participate in this promotion. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will ship the prize directly to our randomly selected winner. Good luck to all our entrants!

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Over the course of the first five movies in THE PURGE franchise, we've followed people navigating their way through the mayhem of legalized lawlessness. In response to an economic crisis that has created mass unemployment and social unrest, a newly created political party is voted into control of the United States of America. One of The New Founding Fathers' answers to these troubles is to create an annual holiday called "The Purge" where during a twelve-hour period all crime, including rape and murder, is legal. The goal is that this will allow people to release all of their pent-up aggression so as to be more productive, better behaved citizen the rest of the year. Also while good people bunker down the seedier elements of society may kill each other off.

It is hard to get the genie back in the bottle though as we see in THE FOREVER PURGE. The old rules of the Purge are broken as members of an underground movement, no longer satisfied with the annual night of anarchy and murder, decide to overtake America through an unending campaign of mayhem and massacre. No one is safe. On the morning after the Purge, a masked gang of killers attacks a wealthy Texas ranching family and their workers. They are forced to band together and fight back as the country spirals into chaos and the United States begins to disintegrate around them.

Buy THE FOREVER PURGE utilizing a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this blog will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into the blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT GIVEAWAY

I'm thankful for all our ageekdaddy.com visitors and @Geekdad248 social media followers on Twitter and Instagram. So this Thanksgiving Weekend I'm hosting a special giveaway courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment! This dad blogger loves family movie nights and some of my favorite films while I've been online with you have been the animated flicks from ILLUMINATION. So I'm excited to announce one lucky winner in this very special blog giveaway will receive an incredible family movie night prize pack that consisting of all ten of Illumination's blockbuster comedies including all three Despicable Me films, The Secret Life of Pets 1 & 2, Hop, Minions, Sing, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch and Dr. Seuss' The Lorax.

In addition to the feature presentations, this ILLUMINATION PRESENTS 10-MOVIE COLLECTION also has all of the mini-movies, sing-alongs, games and other special features included in the home entertainment video releases of these movies. This is a must have addition to any home entertainment video library if you have young children in your household. I have to admit though I enjoy watching all these movies with or without my kids. These really are some great films that prove animated shows can be great entertainment for all ages!

 

Illumination presents all ten of their blockbuster comedies in one collection for the whole family. The ILLUMINATION PRESENTS 10-MOVIE COLLECTION features all - star voice casts including Steve Carell , Kristen Wiig, Kevin Hart, Jenny Slate, Sandra Bullock , and Michael Keaton providing hours of entertainment with theatrically released feature films and tons of bonus content! In this time of pandemic quarantines this collection provides everything you need for numerous fun family movie nights at home.

One randomly selected giveaway participant will be chosen from validly submitted Rafflecopter entries below. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Monday, November 30, 2020. Delivery of the prize is the responsibility of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Illumination and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment are subsidiaries of NBCUniversal, a Comcast company. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

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ILLUMINATION PRESENTS 10-MOVIE COLLECTION would make an excellent holiday gift! Don't be a Grinch and give the gift of a family movie night. This movie collection is available on Blu-ray from Best Buy. If you buy the ILLUMINATION PRESENTS 10-MOVIE COLLECTION using a Geek Daddy affiliate link this dad blogger will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Your support is appreciated and provides a budget that allows us to provide non-sponsored content to share with you.

STAR TREK SHORT TREKS

Thanks to CBS Home Entertainment for providing ageekdaddy.com with a complimentary Blu-ray featuring the nine episode collection of STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS that had previously only been available via viewing them on the CBS All Access subscription streaming service. Now Trekkies can add these stand-alone short stories to their home entertainment video library. Available now on Blu-ray and DVD.

This two hour collection of shorts includes three U.S.S. Enterprise-focused stories with the crew depicted in Star Trek Discovery Season 2 and who it was just announced will be getting their own Star Trek television series. Learn more about Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Spock (Ethan Peck), and Number One (Rebecca Romijn) as these pre-Captain Kirk characters are expanded beyond the original Star Trek [1966-69] TV pilot that never aired. A great example of how the Star Trek universe is continually expanding!

Additionally, four episodes in this collection contains short stories involving the crew of the Discovery from the CBS All Access exclusive Star Trek series. These shorts include Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson), Ensign Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman), Commander Saru (Doug Jones) and Craft (Aldis Hodge). Plus there are two cartoons included in STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS with animation unlike any done before for the Star Trek franchise.

All together the following shorts are included in this video collection:

Runaway

Calypso

The Brightest Star

The Escape Artist

Q&A

The Trouble with Edward

Ask Not

Ephraim & Dot

The Girl Who Made the Stars

The great thing about Blu-ray and DVD releases are they often include bonus content and STAR TREK: SHORT TREKS doesn't disappoint. Included are 10 featurettes! There is more than 50 minutes of special features included on the Blu-ray and DVD release of STAR TREK SHORT TREKS:

COMING OF AGE - Tied to the "Runaway" short, the first installment of the new Short Trek format was written by executive producers Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman about Ensign Tilly finding a stowaway on the Discovery with whom she can relate. I this behind the scenes interview Kurtzman, Director Maja Vrvilo, and actress Mary Wiseman talk about the use of the short to give audiences further insight into Tilly's character.

SHALL WE DANCE - Writer Michael Chabon and Director Olatunde Osunsanmi discuss the challenges of creating compelling story with only one on-screen character their short "Calypso."

FIRST CONTACT: KAMINAR - A deep dive into "The Brightest Star" short, Star Trek Discovery actors and writers discuss the backstory of Saru.

COVERED IN MUDD - Tied to "The Escape Artist" short, an interview with the actor who depicts Harry Mudd,  Rainn Wilson (The Office), about his also directing this Short Trek.

ENSIGN SPOCK'S FIRST DAY - Writer Michael Chabon talks about writing for Ensign Spock and finding hidden talents in relation to the "Q&A" short.

HERE COMES TRIBBLE - Fans will dive into "The Trouble with Edward" short as prop master Mario Moreira discusses bringing back the beloved Tribble in Star Trek: Short Treks.

SCORE! -  A behind-the-curtain discussion with Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino about taking the reins on "Ephraim and Dot" and composing for Short Treks.

BEDTIME STORIES - Writer Brandon Schultz, director Olatunde Osunanmi and actor Kenric Green (Mike Burnham) discuss the development of "The Girl Who Made the Stars" animated Short Trek about a bedtime story.

THE MAKING OF SHORT TREKS - An in-depth discussion with executive producer Alex Kurtzman about how and why this new concept of Star Trek shorts were created.

TWO AUDIO COMMENTARIES - Executive Producers Alex Kurtzman and Jenny Lumet provide commentary for the "Runaway" while actor Anson Mount provides commentary on "Ask Not."

STAR TREK SHORT TREKS is now available on Blu-ray or DVD from Best Buy. Purchase it using an affiliate link above and this dad blogger will receive a small commission from Best Buy at no additional expense to you. Your support of ageekdaddy.com is appreciated!

Enjoy a Smurfy Family Movie Night

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free **

Have yourself a Smurfy good time watching the newest Smurfs movie.  SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE is now available to add to your home video library on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.  This animated movie has received an "A" CinemaScore with general audiences and a rare "A+" with those under the age of 18, making it a perfect selection for a family to enjoy together.

When the evil wizard Gargamel discovers information about a previously unknown village of Smurfs, he heads out to capture them.  Smurfette discovers what the wizard is up to and heads out to find the village first so she can warn its inhabitants.  Of course her friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty aren't going to let her go alone and join in the quest.

Together the four smurfs embark on a race through the Forbidden Forest filled with exotic plants and magical creatures in an effort to find the mysterious lost village before Gargamel does.  It is a rollercoaster of a journey full of action and danger that leads to the revelation of the biggest secret in Smurf history!

SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE features an all-star voice cast, including platinum-selling recording artist Demi Lovato as Smurfette, Emmy-nominated comic actor Rainn Wilson (The Office) as Gargamel, Jack McBrayer (30 Rock) as Clumsy, Joe Manganiello (Magic Mike) as Hefty, Danny Pudi (Community) as Brainy and Mandy Patinkin (Homeland) as Papa Smurf. Directed by Kelly Asbury (Shrek 2) from a screenplay by Stacey Harman (The Goldbergs) and Pamela Ribon (Moana), SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE is based on the characters and works of Peyo.  Pierre Culliford (1928 - 1992) was a Belgian cartoonist who crafted comic strips under the pseudonym "Peyo" with the Smurfs being one of his most successful and popular creations. 

I watched all the Smurfs cartoons and played with the collectible figures as a kid myself so it is nice that my own children can enjoy them as well through watching SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE.  I particularly appreciated that this story went back towards the Smurfy vibe of the '80s compared to the last two live action with CGI films that had a more contemporary comedic focus.  My kids really enjoyed the animation and getting a look inside the magical world of the Smurfs in this movie.  Our whole family had a great time watching this movie together!

In addition to the feature presentation, the home video version of SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE is full of bonus material.  There are 10 fun and interactive featurettes, including Meghan Trainor's "I'm A Lady" music video and "Lost Village Dance Along" where you can join in a Smurf dance party.  You also have to check out the included step-by-step tutorials on how to draw your favorite Smurfs contained within three "how to" videos. 

SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE has a run time of around 90 minutes.  It is rated PG for some mild action and rude humor.  For more information about the film, please visit smurfsmovie.com

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Thanks Disney for giving me a Belle Costume set for my daughter along with the BEAUTY AND THE BEAST Blu-ray.  All opinions are my own.

My daughter and I enjoyed a spot of tea out in the garden before heading inside to watch Disney's live action adaption of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.  The movie, a great addition to any home's video library, is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD.  My daughter was delighted by the film when we saw it together at the movie theater and is thrilled she can watch it anytime she wants now.

In this fairy tale fantasy, Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent woman with a love of reading books, discovers that her father has been imprisoned in the dungeon of a cursed castle for trespassing upon the property.  She is able to get him set free by promising the Beast that is lord of the manor to take her father's place as a prisoner in the castle.  My daughter adores Emma Watson from her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films and loved the actresses performance in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST as Belle.  For some of our past Harry Potter movie nights she has had fun dressing up as Watson's Hermione character and was so excited to put on a Belle gown to wear for our first viewing of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on home video.

The Disney Store provided us with a Belle Costume for Kids which included replicas of the dress, shoes, and jewelry worn by Watson in the movie.  My daughter especially loves the finally crafted costume jewelry that came along with the outfit that included fancy clip-on earrings, an elegant hair comb, and a beautiful necklace which features a snap together oval bead clasp for the fine link chain.  The jewelry set came in a very nice storage box which contains an ivory satin bed for the items to rest on and a carrying strap so little girls can take it along with them on their own fantastic journeys.

The dress has some elegant touches to it as well.  Glittering floral filigree and golden hem stitching grace the front and back of the gown.  It is make from satin with a bodice that has ruffled organza overlays and trims.  Rounding out the ensemble are the shoes which have embroidered feathers and decorative bows outlined in glittering gold.

Belle is terrified of the Beast and turned off by his bad behavior as she lives in the castle.  As time goes by she befriends its enchanted staff and starts to become at home there.  With some help from these bewitched furnishings both Belle and the Beast make an effort to get to know one another. She learns to look beyond the Beast's hideous exterior and realize there is the kind heart within it.  This is where the adventure really begins! What happens next?  You'll have to pick up BEAUTY AND THE BEAST on Blu-ray, DVD or Digital HD to find out!

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is rated PG for some action violence, peril and frightening images that overall is a very family friendly movie.  Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the animated version of Beauty and the Beast, also provides the score for the live action film which includes new recordings of some of the musical performances from the animated movie along with three new songs he has written in collaboration with Tim Rice.  Celine Dion who has performed several very memorable musical numbers in motion pictures also contributes to the soundtrack for this movie performing one of the new songs "How Does a Moment Last Forever."  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST also boasts an excellent cast that in addition to Watson as Belle includes Dan Stevens (The Ticket, Night at the Museum) as the Beast, Luke Evans (Fast & Furious, The Hobbit) as Gaston, Kevin Kline (A Fish Called Wanda, Dave) as Belle's father Maurice, Josh Gad (A Dog's Purpose, FROZEN) as LaFou, Ewan McGregor (Star Wars Episodes I - III) as Lumie, Audra McDonald (Annie, A Raisin in the Sun) as Madame De Garderobe, Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings, X-Men) as Cogsworth and Emma Thompson (Love Actually, Brave) as the teapot Mrs. Potts.

In addition to deleted scenes there are also a variety of extra features included with the movie on home video.  These include watching an elaborately staged table read that took place before the movie began filming, a documentary on transforming the popular animated film into a live action movie that will be a classic in its own right, a featurette on the making of the musical sequences and a "Beauty and the Beast" music video.  Also you'll want to watch the extended song segment about "Days in the Sun" which provides viewers some details about the Beast's childhood within an alternate version of the song from the movie.

Add BEAUTY AND THE BEAST to your Disney Movies Anywhere digital library or on Blu-ray or DVD as part of your home video collection.  While it may be a tale as old as time this movie is a delightful fresh approach when it comes to telling this wonderful story.  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is a great movie night selection that your family will want to watch over and over again!

Family Movie Night: A DOG'S PURPOSE

**A Geek Daddy received the featured product for FREE to review**

Thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment  I was able to add A DOG'S PURPOSE to my video library and enjoy watching the movie a few days before its May 2, 2017 release on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand. A DOG'S PURPOSE is a lighthearted film that has a heartwarming story filled with humorous scenes and dramatic moments making it a great selection for parents to enjoy along with their children for a fun family movie night.  The film takes you on a sentimental journey as it delves into the bond that transpires between dogs and their owners.

Based on the beloved bestselling novel by W. Bruce Cameron, A Dog’s Purpose, the movie directed by Lasse Hallström (The Cider House Rules, Dear John, The 100-Foot Journey) shares the soulful and surprising story of one devoted dog (voiced by Josh Gad – Frozen, Angry Birds) who finds the meaning of his own existence through the lives of  the humans he teaches to laugh and love. This family-friendly film told from the dog’s perspective also stars Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland, The Longest Ride), KJ Apa (Riverdale), John Ortiz (Silver Linings Playbook, American Gangster), Juliet Rylance (Sinister, The Knick), Luke Kirby (The Astronaut Wives Club), Peggy Lipton (When in Rome, Twin Peaks), Pooch Hall (The Game, Ray Donovan) and Dennis Quaid  (Far From Heaven, The Rookie).

A DOG'S PURPOSE follows a dog from birth to death multiple times as he is continuously  reincarnated as different breeds throughout the movie.  A boy's loyal Golden Retriever companion named Bailey, a dedicated German Shepard police dog called Ellie, and a Pembroke Welsh Corgi who is a treasured family pet known as Tino are a few of the incarnations that occur in this heartfelt story.  Eventually the dog's journey comes full circle as it reincarnates into the body of a Bernese Mountain Dog and through a twist of fate is reunited with his original owner who is no longer a boy but now a down on his luck middle aged man. Will this man realize that this dog is his beloved childhood pet reincarnated? Can the dog help turn the human's life in a positive direction?  You'll have to watch A DOG'S PURPOSE for yourself to find out!

One of you will be able to watch A DOG'S PURPOSE courtesy of A Geek Daddy as we're giving away a Blu-ray combo pack. Submit the entries below by 11:59 pm ET on May 10, 2017 for a chance to win.  Must be a US resident over 18 years old to participate.

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The Blu-ray Combo Pack includes a Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD with UltraViolet.  In addition to the movie, the combo packs includes bonus features such as deleted scenes and outtakes.  It also has two mini-documentaries.  Light, Camera, Woof! provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film and A Writer's Purpose lets viewers learn the story behind W. Bruce Cameron's best-selling novel the movie is based off of.

A DOG'S PURPOSE is rated PG for thematic elements, including alcoholism, domestic violence and death, and situation which place characters in peril.  The movie originally garnered some negative attention when a video leaked from the set was released alleging that a dog used in stunts had been mistreated.  A review by the American Humane Society through an independent third-party animal cruelty expert though reported that safety measure on the set were appropriate and the leaked video had been deliberately edited to outrage and mislead the public. There was nothing observed in the movie that I was concerned about my 8 year old twins seeing.



Disclaimer & Contest Rules: A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but was provided the same items being provided as a prize for personal use. The prize is provided by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and A Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be a US resident over the age of 18 to participate. Entries limited to one household and winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. If you have already won this prize through another blog participating in this promotion, your entry will be disqualified if that prize has already been awarded by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize. Must reply to notification email within 48 hours by providing requested contact information or else the prize will be forfeited and a new winner randomly selected. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be responsible for shipping the prize to the selected winner.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: MARS

  ** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free to review**

Are you ready to blast off on a space adventure to Mars?  National Geographic's six-part television series MARS immerses you into a realistic representation of a futuristic mission to the red planet.  Academy Award-winning producers Brian Grazer and Ron Howard merge a sci-fi drama with an educational documentary by interspersing interviews with real life astronauts, engineers, scientists, and other space experts within a scripted fictional story about a journey to Mars. It's really well done!

If you missed watching MARS when it first aired on the National Geographic Channel last year, the series is now available to purchase on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Download.  This show filled with incredibly informative segments about astronomy and space travel as well as a suspense filled adventurous tale really captured my family's imagination and was very entertaining to view.  Plus the home video edition also includes features such as a bonus episode (Before Mars: A Prequel), a behind-the-scenes documentary (Making Mars), and interviews with the cast and crew.

What would life be like on the first human colony on the fourth planet from the sun?  It would obviously be much different than life is here on Earth. Ask your kids what they think it would be like, share with them this informative fact sheet, and have some fun giving them a chance to fill out the form below where they can list what they would pack for their adventure.





Watch MARS together as a family and compare the astronauts experience in the show to what your kids though it would be like.  Since we saw the show, my kids have been interested in going outside to gaze for Mars in the night sky through a telescope and have wanted to learn more about how someone can actually become an astronaut.  If this National Geographic television series sparks the same interest about space travel in your kids as it has mine, you'll want to visit, makemarshome.com, which allows people to see if they have what it takes to be an astronaut for a Mars mission through an interactive online experience.

The television series, based upon the book How We'll Live On Mars (2015) by Stephen Petranek, tells the story of a multi-national effort to send astronauts to explore Mars set in 2037.  It revolves around the crew of the Daedalus, which includes mission commander Ben Sawyer (American), systems engineer Hana Seung (American), physician Amelie Durand (French), roboticist Robert Foucault (Nigerian), geochemist Javier Delgado (Spanish), and geologist Marta Kamen (Russian), who will be the first people to set foot on Mars.  As they engage in their adventure, viewers are shown flashbacks of the characters preparing for the mission from four years before lift off.  Interview segments with actual modern day experts are also incorporated into the fictional story explaining how today's technology will be utilized or enhanced to make such a mission feasible in the future.

In the first episode, as the Daedalus prepares to land on Mars a critical system on the space ship malfunctions.  Attempting to avert a disaster, the mission commander is critically injured.  While Commander Sawyer's efforts get his crew's boots on the ground, they find themselves 75 kilometers away from where automated rockets from Earth had previously dropped supplies waiting for them.  How will they survive with limited resources and no easy way to get to their planned landing site where all their vital supplies are stored?  And how do they treat Sawyer's serious injuries when the closest hospital is more than 200 million kilometers away?  You'll have to start watching to find out!  Be aware though that there are life and death situations impacting the crew of the Daedalus so parents should take some discretion about whether the show is suitable for their children to watch based upon that.  It was fine for my 8 year old twins to watch but every child is unique.

If you want to learn even more about Mars, National Geographic has also published a companion book to the television series.  MARS -- OUR FUTURE ON THE RED PLANET is a wonderful 288 page hardcover book filled with 200 color illustrations and photographs.  The book combines science, technology, photography, and art to illuminate how Mars is the next frontier in space exploration.

Thanks to National Geographic you can now explore Mars without the hassle of traveling a million miles to get there.  Let MARS spark your family's imagination and curiosity about space exploration, science, and technology.

 
For more information about the television series, visit: channel.nationalgeographic.com/mars

THE YOUNG POPE -- REVIEW + DIGITAL HD GIVEAWAY

While I am a big fan of science fiction and fantasy adventures sometimes it is nice to mix things up a bit and watch a show with some serious dramatic chops to it.  So with Westworld and Game of Thrones on hiatus, I've decided to spend some time watching the first season of HBO's ten episode The Young Pope TV series now that it is available on Digital HD.  It is a show filled with political and psychological intrigue as a variety of players jockey for power within the Vatican wrestling for the authority to steer the direction of the 1 billion member congregation of the Catholic Church as well as the resources and responsibilities that come with that leadership.  The Young Pope is directed and edited by Paolo Sorrentino (co-writer and director of The Great Beauty which won an Academy Award for "Best Foreign Language Film" in 2014) who creates an art filmesque backdrop for this show that is full of visually stunning settings and splendid character portrayals.  The imagery of The Young Pope combined with the acting performances of two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law and Academy Award winner Diane Keaton make this dramatic series in my opinion very much worth seeing.

In this fictional story,  a clandestine group of Cardinals arrange to get the Archbishop of New York City, Lenny Belardo (played by Jude Law), elected as the youngest and first-ever American Pope, with the aim of manipulating him as their pawn.  But as Belardo takes on the role of Pope as Pius XIII it appears that he may be the one doing the manipulating.  One of Belardo's first actions as Pope Pius XIII is to secretly command the priests who handles the Confessions of the Cardinals and other noteworthy Vatican staff to report back to him the details of each of these people's sins.  Has Belardo actually been scheming for years to rise through the Church's hierarchy?

To the surprise of the Cardinals who elected him, instead of taking a refreshing, youthful approach to directing the policies of the Church, Pius XIII announces ultra conservative, hardline initiatives that rock the Vatican status quo.  He also forsakes the guidance of the Vatican's long-time Secretary of State, Cardinal Voiello, and brings in the nun who raised him at a Catholic orphanage, Sister Mary (played by Diane Keaton), as his chief confidante and counsel.  Of course Vatican insiders begin a plot to take the Pope down trying to find dirt on him or catch him in a scandalous act to force his ouster.  As Law's character consolidates his power and executes his duties with an ironfisted authority, the story becomes a mystery about whether the young Pope is a man of conviction or one full of contradictions.

Does Pius XIII have a spiritual philosophy for leading the Church? Is a psychological disorder impacting him causing his behavior to be askew? Or is Lenny Belardo just someone who craves authority over other people to compensate for the lack of power he had when abandoned by his parents as a child?  Trying to understand this complicated character's intentions provides an intricate plot for viewers to unravel as the show progresses.

Season One of The Young Pope is now available on Digital HD.  It will be available on Blu-ray and DVD beginning June 6, 2017.  In addition to all ten episodes the Blu-ray, Digital Download, and DVD of The Young Pope -- Season One will also contain three special features including an exclusive new "The Making of The Young Pope" segment.  The Blu-ray and DVD will also include a free Digital Download.

THE YOUNG POPE -- DIGITAL HD GIVEAWAY

A Geek Daddy has a Digital HD code for The Young Pope -- Season One to giveaway.  Just complete the required entries below for a chance to win it!  Must be a U.S. resident over the age of 18 to be eligible to participate in this giveaway.

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A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but was provided the same items being provided as a prize for personal use.  A Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be a US resident over the age of 18 to participate.  Winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. Must provide a valid email address to receive the prize which consist of a download code for "The Young Pope -- Season One." A Geek Daddy will email the code to the randomly selected winner. By participating in this free promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog or HBO regarding this contest or the prize.

" ROGUE ONE: A Star Wars Story " Family Movie Night

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free **

I spent an evening relaxing the other night by kicking up my shoes and watching ROGUE ONE: A Star Wars Story on my living room television with my wife and kids.  This film ss one of my Top 3 favorites of the 8 Star Wars movies that have been made so far.  So I've anxiously been waiting to add ROGUE ONE to my home video library.

The movie was just released on Digital HD this last weekend.  Digital HD is when movies or television shows are purchased or rented in a digital format that features a 1080p high definition picture by streaming or downloading them.  Disney Movies Anywhere kindly provided us ROGUE ONE through their service plus a fun pack of goodies so that we could have a fun Star Wars themed Family Movie Night in conjunction with the Digital HD release of the film.

Disney Movies Anywhere allows you to purchase Digital HD versions of Disney, Disney Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies, store them via the cloud in one central spot, and access them anytime on the device of your choice.  Whether it is on your smart phone, tablet, PC or television Disney Movies Anywhere gives you the freedom to watch your movies when and how you want.  While the movies are stored online and can be streamed to a mobile device, TV, or computer, Disney Movies Anywhere also allows you to download your movies so users have an option to view their shows when an Internet connection isn't available.  Plus you can earn Disney Movie Rewards points for your purchases made through Disney Movies Anywhere and some titles also include exclusive content such as never-before-seen videos, new original programming, and other special perks.

We enjoyed our ROGUE ONE family movie night by streaming the movie from our Disney Movies Anywhere account to our big screen television using a ROKU player. Just plug a ROKU streaming stick into the HDMI port of your television to connect it to the Internet and watch any of the items in your Disney Movies Anywhere account's library.  After making up some blue milk like they enjoy drinking in a galaxy far, far away and grabbing some special edition Star Wars Cheez-It baked snack crackers to snack on from the kitchen we just had to plug in our ROKU, jump on the couch, and start streaming the show.

Here's how we make our Star Wars inspired Blue Milk:

Ingredients

1 cup of milk;
1/2 teaspoon of Kool-Aid Liquid Blue Raspberry Drink Mix;
1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

Directions

• Pour the milk into a tall glass and gently stir in the blue raspberry drink mix;

• The drink should initially be light tinted blue.  Add more of the fruit punch mix to get a darker color if you desire;

• Add sugar to sweeten the taste.

ROGUE ONE: A Star Wars Story tells the epic story of a group of unlikely heroes who band together on a mission to steal the plans for the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction -- the Death Star. It concludes where the original Star Wars movie, A New Hope, begins.  ROGUE ONE answers a question that Star Wars fans have been asking since A New Hope was released in 1977 -- how did Princess Leia get her hands on the Death Star plans in that movie.  ROGUE ONE is a nicely done film that will appeal to a new generation of Star Wars fan with its impressive special effects, well done casting, funny one liners and numerous action sequences while also providing much of the same tone and elements of the first trilogy of movies so that those, like myself, who have enjoyed this franchise over the last 40 years will be very satisfied by it.  While my favorite scene involves Darth Vader going on a rampage, the twins favorite part is the space battle over the planet of Scarif which they like to re-enact with their Star Wars toys.

In addition to being available on DigitalHD now, ROGUE ONE is being released on Blu-ray and DVD on April 4, 2017.   In addition to the feature presentation, the home video formats also contains never-before- seen ROGUE ONE bonus material that will take fans behind the scenes with the movie’s diverse, dynamic cast and inspired team of filmmakers. An intimate collection of stories reveals how the film came to life, as well as hidden Easter Eggs and film facts that audiences may have missed in the theater.

Bonus features include*:

• A Rogue Idea – Hear how ILM’s John Knoll came up with the movie’s concept – and why it’s the right film to launch the Star Wars stand-alone films.
• Jyn: The Rebel – Get to know Rogue One’s defiant, resourceful survivor, and hear what it was like for Felicity Jones to bring her to life onscreen.
• Cassian: The Spy – Diego Luna shares insights into his complex, driven character, who becomes a hero through selflessness, perseverance and passion.
• K-2SO: The Droid – Explore the development of this reprogrammed Imperial droid, from initial pitch and character design through Alan Tudyk’s performance.
• Baze & Chirrut: Guardians of the Whills – Go deeper into the relationship between these two very different characters, with Chinese superstars Jiang Wen and Donnie Yen.
• Bodhi & Saw: The Pilot & The Revolutionary – Forest Whitaker and Riz Ahmed reflect on Saw Gerrera, the broken Rebel leader, and Bodhi Rook, the Imperial pilot who defects.
• The Empire – Meet a dangerous new Imperial adversary…and cross paths once more with the most iconic villain of all time.
• Visions of Hope: The Look of “Rogue One” – The filmmakers describe the challenges and thrills of developing a bold new look for the movie that can fit within the world of the original trilogy.
• The Princess & The Governor – See what it took to bring the vibrant young princess of “Star Wars: A New Hope” – as well as one of her most memorable foes – back to the screen.
• Epilogue: The Story Continues – Filmmakers and cast celebrate Rogue One’s premiere and look forward into the future, to the Star Wars stories yet to be told.
• Rogue Connections – Uncover Easter eggs and film facts hidden throughout the movie that connect “Rogue One” to the Star Wars universe.