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!

" 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.

JOIN IN A ROGUE ONE TWITTER PARTY DUEL ON 3/26

The answer to a question that has been on Star Wars fans minds since the original movie debuted in 1977 was answered last year.  How did Princess Leia get her hands on the Death Star plans that Darth Vader was chasing after in the opening sequence of that movie?  Last December, Disney released its first Star Wars standalone film, ROGUE ONE, which 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. This brand new adventure expands the Star Wars universe in its own unique way yet its plot also nicely wraps into the previous movies enhancing the franchise's overall story.

 I really enjoyed ROGUE ONE when I saw it at the theater (ranking it as one of my top three favorite films in the Star Wars franchise) and have been waiting in anticipation to add it to my home video collection.  Well the wait is finally over!  ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY is available TODAY (3/24/17) on Digital HD and will be available to get on Blu-ray or DVD beginning April 4th.

Disney Movies Anywhere and Roku set-up my family to enjoy a fun movie night this weekend by providing us with a free ROGUE ONE Digital HD code and some Star Wars goodies. We'll be watching ROGUE ONE on Sunday, March 26, 2017 at 7pm ET / 4pm PT simultaneously along with other social media influencers' and their families from across the country live tweeting as everyone is watching the movie at the same time. I've been designated part of #TeamEmpire and will be engaging in a Twitter Duel against #TeamRebel as we banter about whose side is superior.  We'll also be giving away some great prizes to people who RSVP for this #RogueOneDigital Twitter Party and actively participate in the conversation.

There are 10 prizes in total including the following:

• 1 Director Orson Krennic Pop! Vinyl Figure by Funko
• 1 Sergeant Jyn Erso Elite Series Die Cast Action Figure
• 1 Captain Cassian Andor Elite Series Die Cast Action Figure
• 1 K-2SO Elite Series Die Cast Action Figure
• 1 Imperial Death Trooper Elite Series Die Cast Action Figure
• 1 Imperial Stormtrooper Elite Series Die Cast Action Figure
• 1 R2-Q5 Mini Metal Action Figure by Takara Tomy
• 1 C2-B5 Pop! Vinyl Figure by Funko – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
• 1 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Journal
• 1 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Rebel Dossier Book

Winners will be randomly chosen from the RSVP list throughout the Twitter Party and must be actively tweeting using the #RogueOneDigital hashtag when selected to be eligible to win.  I'd appreciate you also using #TeamEmpire while tweeting to help my team win this Star Wars Twitter Duel but #RogueOneDigital is the only one you actually need to use to be eligible to win a prize during the party.

Give in to the power of the Dark Side! Follow @Geekdad248 along with my other #TEAMEMPIRE Twitter Party panelists on Sunday, March 26, 2017 from 7pm ET (4 pm PT) until the movie ends.  The #RogueOneDigital Twitter Party will be full of movie commentary, Star Wars trivia and prizes.  Purchase the Digital HD edition of ROGUE ONE: A Star Wars Story from Disney Movies Anywhere and watch it along with us as we chat on Twitter.  RSVP to join in the #RogueOneDigital Twitter Party -- it will be a blast!

The Digital HD version in addition to the feature presentation 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.

* Digital bonus offerings may vary by retailer.

MOVIE GIVEAWAY -- Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back on Digital HD

To celebrate our reaching 5,000 followers on Twitter, A Geek Daddy is giving away one of my favorite movies courtesy of Disney Movies Anywhere.  One of our lucky social media followers will win Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back via a Digital HD download code.  To be eligible for this giveaways you must be over 18 years old, reside within the United States, follow @Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet which is embedded below before February 11, 2016 at 11:59 pm EST.  Simple as that!  Each RT will be assigned a number based on the order it was received and random.org shall select our winner.

Congrats to Mandi from Tampa, Florida who won the giveaway

Follow @Geekdad248 & RT for chance to win THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK on Digital HD (US Only - Ends 2/11/16) pic.twitter.com/I9JGXEuvxk

— A Geek Daddy (@GeekDad248) January 30, 2016

Encourage your friends and family to follow A Geek Daddy on Twitter and Facebook because the more people that are connected to us the more opportunities arise for this blog to be able to host great giveaways to share with you. Thank you to all our blog readers and social media followers who have made our blog a success by joining this dad in his adventure in parenting and who also appreciate enjoying the geeky side of life.

GIVEAWAY DISCLAIMER/RULES:  Disney / Disney Movies Anywhere is not a sponsor or affiliated with this giveaway in any way.  A Geek Daddy received a complimentary digital movie download code for Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back from representatives of Walt Disney Studios at Blogger Bash 2015 which is being used as this giveaway prize.  It is A Geek Daddy blogs best understanding that this is a valid code being provided in this giveaway but unfortunately if the code does not work the winner is out of luck and there is no substitute prize.  There is no cash value for the prize being awarded.  The provided code for a digital movie download expires on April 10, 2016.  Winner must be following @Geekdad248 at the time of drawing and will be contacted by DM.  Winner must reply within 48 hours with an email address in which the prize can be sent or an alternate winner will be selected.  Digital Download code can only be redeemed from a computer network account registered within the United States.  A Geek Daddy will email the digital download code to winner.  Winner must create a FREE Disney Movies Anywhere account to access the movie.  By participating in this contest you waive any liability towards A Geek Daddy Blog or its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. Any opinions in this post are my own.

New Muppets Mini-Series Hits the Web

Watch "Drive-On with the Muppets" on Disney Movies Anywhere

To promote Disney's Movies Anywhere website/app and the upcoming home video release of Muppets Most Wanted a six-part original online video series called "Drive-On with the Muppets" will be available through the month of August.  Each Friday beginning August 1st, two new video shorts that feature brand new Muppet skits will be available to view on Disney Movies Anywhere.  Disney Movies Anywhere is a cloud-based movie service that allows you to store your DVD and digital download  purchases on one online catalog so that you can easily and instantly stream or download your collection of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel movies across a wide variety of devices ranging from desktop computers to tablet devices to smart phones.  Setting up an account to access Disney Movies Anywhere is FREE and in addition to the movies that you have purchased being accessible through the service there are also bonus content features such as this "Drive-On with the Muppets" original video series.

The premise behind "Drive-On with the Muppets" is that Kermit the Frog has to leave work for a day and Pepe the King Prawn is left in charge of the Muppets office. It also happens to be Walter's first day on the job at the Walt Disney Studios lot after joining the Muppet Show cast. This series of video shorts is set between The Muppets (2001) and Muppets Most Wanted (2014) with a focus on incorporating the Walter character from The Muppets as a regular part of the goofy ensemble.

The first episode has been posted on youtube but the remaining 5 episodes will be exclusively viewable via the Disney Movies Anywhere website/app.  I've embedded this first episode below and here's a synopsis of it:

After being left in charge of the Muppets office by Kermit, Pepe the King Prawn takes on the responsibility of "mentoring" Walter on the business of Hollywood.  Still considered the "new guy" with the Muppets, Walter is given low-level jobs working alongside his fellow Muppets at their office in the famed Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.  Walter quickly learns there is a lot more to making movies than he thought! Developing projects may not always be so glamorous, but Walter is still excited to tackle new challenges and discovers life on the Disney Lot is certainly a fun and funny adventure.

To watch the rest of these new Muppet shows, tune in every Friday at DisneyMoviesAnywhere.com throughout the month of August.

Disney Movies Float to the Cloud

Along with today's digital release of the movie FROZEN, a month before it is available to purchase for DVD, Walt Disney Studies also debuted a new cloud-based movie viewing service called Disney Movies Anywhere. Disney Movies Anywhere will allow people to watch Disney, Pixar, and Marvel Studios movies on an Internet browser, Apple TV (through iCloud or Airplay) or via a free app for their iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch.  Disney's 400-plus active library of digital movies will be available to users who will still need to pay for each movie but won't need to store it on DVDs or on their own hard drives anymore.  Purchased movies will be available for online streaming from the Cloud 24/7.  Cloud storage means that the data files for the movies will be stored on centralized computer services and transmitted to your computer or IOS device through the Internet upon your requesting to view them.

 

Consumers who have previously purchased a Disney movie through iTunes or redeemed a digital copy from the codes that have been included with DVD and Blu-ray products since 2008 will be able to have those transferred to this new service.  Disney Movies Anywhere users can connect their iTunes and Disney Movie Rewards accounts to transfer their past purchases to this new service.  New purchases made via the Disney Movies Anywhere website or app will also automatically be connected to a user's iTunes account for accessibility and will receive Disney Movie Rewards points for their digital purchases.

For a limited time, iTunes users who register their accounts with Disney Movies Anywhere will also get a free digital copy of the Disney-Pixar movie THE INCREDIBLES.  A nice free bonus for synchronizing your accounts.

For more information, visit:  disneymoviesanywhere.com