MIGRATION ACTIVITY SHEETS

MIGRATION, the newest animated movie from Illumination, the creators of MINIONS, is now available to add to your home entertainment library on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital. Rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America [MPAA] for action, peril and mild rude humor, this story about a Mallard family leaving their comfort zone to go on vacation makes for a nice movie to enjoy in the comfort of your home. Add some extra entertainment to a MIGRATION family movie night having fun with these FREE movie themed activity sheets:

In MIGRATION, A family of ducks decides to leave the safety of a New England pond for an adventurous trip to Jamaica. However, their well-laid plans quickly go awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible.

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MINIONS 2 COMES TO HOME VIDEO

Thank you Universal Pictures for providing ageekdaddy.com with a free digital code for Minions: The Rise of Gru

My twins have grown up with the Minions. Despicable Me was one of the first Hollywood movies they ever saw and they adore the loveable losers that are minions of that film's anti-villain. My son and daughter went BANANAS when they found out that we were having an end of summer family movie night watching MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The newest movie in the Despicable Me franchise of films is now available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and Digital to add to your home entertainment video library.

The kids were geeked that this movie provides an origin story on how Gru and the Minions become a villainous team. Plus, in addition to the animated feature length theatrical animated film, the home video release edition of MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU is full of the goodies that we come to expect when movies are released on Digital as well as Blu-ray and 4K Ultra HD discs. When you bring this movie home, bonus content includes two all-new mini movies, hilarious outtakes, a how-to draw (& animate) lesson with co-director Brad Ableson and tons of activities the whole family can enjoy. 

Long before he becomes the master of evil, Gru is just a 12-year-old boy in 1980s suburbia, plotting to take over the world from his basement. When the infamous supervillain group, the Vicious 6, ousts their leader, Gru attempts to join their ranks but soon finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. With Gru on the run, the Minions attempt to learn martial arts to help save him, and Gru discovers that even bad guys need a little help from their friends. Packed with the franchise’s signature subversive humor, MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU features more thrilling action than any Despicable Me film ever before!

Interestingly, while the Minions stole the show in the Despicable Me films, Gru is the standout in this MINIONS movie. And that works well because the Minions perform the same old same old antics in this film while Gru is refreshingly funny and likeable, well as much so as a pre-teen boy who dreams of being a "super villain" can be.  And while I have to admit starting to become somewhat tired of the Minions, Gru kept my interest in this story with his youthfulness adding some new energy to the franchise. 

My kids still laughed throughout the movie at the Minions hijinks so for them that never gets old. I actually got a big chuckle realizing that many of the villains in the MINIONS: RISE OF GRU are actors with a tough guy and gal reputation including Jean Claude Van-Damme (Jean Clawed), Dolph Lundgren (Svengeance), Danny Trejo (Stronghold) and Lucy Lawless (Nun-Chuck). So, everyone in our family found funny moments in this adventure-comedy.

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU earned a Geek Daddy nod of approval because after four movies this film was still very enjoyable to view and left us looking forward to more adventures with Gru and the Minions. I hear Despicable Me 4 is coming to movie theaters on July 3, 2024!

MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU is rated PG for action, violence and rude humor. It has a run time of one hour and twenty-seven minutes. Overall, my whole family enjoyed watching the film, so in my opinion it is a great selection that both parents and children can enjoy watching together for a movie night.

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THE GRINCH MOVIE GIVEAWAY

A Geek Daddy received the featured movie for FREE from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

Thanksgiving has passed so let the Christmas festivities begin! I love family movie nights and this is a great time of year for enjoying getting everyone snuggled together under a blanket on the couch, drinking hot chocolate and watching some of our favorite holiday films.  New to this list is ILLUMINATIONS' THE GRINCH based upon the popular story by Dr. Seuss. This CGI animated flick originally played in theaters during the 2018 holiday season and was made available to add to your home entertainment video library earlier this year. This is a movie your family will enjoy watching year after year at Christmas time.

The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous spirit. Funny, heartwarming and visually stunning, The Grinch is fun for the whole family! The movie is rated PG for rude humor by the Motion Picture Association of America.



Being that this animated motion picture is from the same people who brought us the Minions of Despicable Me, of course they had to be involved with some bonus content included with The Grinch's home video release. In addition to the feature presentation there are also three mini movies showing the Minions as Santa's Little Helpers. You know that is sure to involve some hilarious hijinks!

To share my family's enjoyment of  Illumination presents Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, this dad blogger is giving it away on Blu-ray. One lucky winner will be able to include a family movie night watching The Grinch into their holiday festivities courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Just complete the rafflecopter entries below prior to 11:59 pm ET on Friday, December 6, 2019 for a chance to win. Must be over 18 years and a United States resident to participate in this giveaway. Good luck and Merry Christmas!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can pick up The Grinch from Best Buy on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray and DVD. If you purchase this movie from one of the links above ageekdaddy.com will receive a small commission at no additional charge to you. Thanks for supporting this blog!

DESPICABLE ME 3 MOVIE REVIEW

Universal Pictures treated A GEEK DADDY to a family dinner and outing to the movies where we had the chance to see an advance screening of DESPICABLE ME 3.  My 8 year old son and daughter who have grown up watching the films in this movie franchise were really excited to see a new adventure on the silver screen.  The twins were especially interested to see how the story's plot of introducing Gru to a twin brother he never knew about would play out!  They've never seen The Parent Trap (1961 / 1998) which Despicable Me 3 is parodying so this was mind blowing element of the movie for them. 

Before heading out to see Despicable Me 3, my kids insisted we have a movie marathon watching the previous two Despicable Me films and Minions on home video.  So we entered the theater all revved up to see the newest adventure of Gru and his Minions!

Despicable Me 3 continues the story of Gru, Lucy, their adorable daughters—Margo, Edith and Agnes—and the Minions. After he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to take down the latest bad guy to threaten humanity, Gru finds himself in the midst of a major identity crisis.  But when a mysterious stranger shows up to inform Gru that he has a long-lost twin brother—a brother who desperately wishes to follow in his twin’s despicable footsteps—one former super-villain will rediscover just how good it feels to be bad.



I was thoroughly entertained from start to finish watching this movie.  Despicable Me 3's nostalgic '80s spoofs, physical humor and wise cracking jokes had me chuckling throughout the movie.  The film really does a nice job of complementing the tone and vibe of the previous Despicable Me  movies while also standing out on its own merits.  It also continues the theme of valuing family, expanding the role of Lucy as a mother to the girls and adding Dru into the mix, which this parent watching the movie with his kids appreciated.

Addressing Minion overkill from the last two movies, Despicable Me 3 sees a diminished role for these characters in the script with more of a focus on Gru, Lucy and their daughters.  I liked this because it made the moments featuring the Minions stand out more and I thought they were funnier  because you didn't get worn out by their ongoing antics continuously taking place like in the other films.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of the Minions, but sometimes quality is better than quantity.  Also Balthazar Bratt is not just a humorous addition to the movie but also a very worthy adversary.  


My kids LOVED the movie!  My daughter really was into Agne's search for a real life unicorn.  My son thought Bratt's bubble gum weapons were AWESOME!  They both appreciated the dynamic that take place between Gru and Dru as well.  My wife thought the movie was "OK" better than Despicable Me 2 and Minions but not as great as the original Despicable Me.  I really liked the movie because it is an all-ages appropriate animated summer movie that families can enjoy together with parents and children alike finding it interesting and funny to watch.

 Despicable Me 3 is rated PG for rude humor (mostly the Minions) and mild action sequences which include "dance fights", jail house antics, and characters risking being impaled on menacing spikes. Plus Lucy beats up quite a few people showing she's not someone to be messed with.  All in all I didn't see anything overly objectionable that should give parents concern about taking a child of any age to see this movie.  It really is a nice movie for a family outing to the movie theater.

Despicable Me 3 gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval because it is a colorful, zany movie that I enjoyed viewing as much as my kids did.  It is a funny fun movie very much worth going to see in my opinion.  Kids and kids-at-heart will really be entertained by it!

Despicable Me 3 opens at theaters across the United States on June 30, 2017.  For more information about the movie, please visit www.despicable.me or check out the film's social media accounts on Twitter, Facebook and GruTube.

FREE DESPICABLE ME 3 ACTIVITY SHEETS

Courtesy of our friends at ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENT and UNIVERSAL PICTURES, A Geek Daddy has some free Despicable Me 3 themed activity sheets to share with you.  Just download and print them out.  Enjoy!



Despicable Me 3 arrives at movie theaters across the United States on Friday, June 30, 2017.  In the movie, the mischievous Minions hope that Gru will return to a life of crime after the new boss of the Anti-Villain League fires him. Instead, Gru decides to remain retired and travel to Freedonia to meet his long-lost twin brother for the first time. The reunited siblings soon find themselves in an uneasy alliance to take down the elusive Balthazar Bratt, a former 1980s child star who seeks revenge against the world.  For more information about the movie, visit www.despicable.me

Despicable Me 3 Giveaway

You'll go BANANAS just like a Minion for this great Despicable Me 3 prize pack! The third installment of Despicable Me is a must-see animated movie for a family outing to the movie theater this summer.  My family are huge fans of this movie franchise and to share our anticipation for the theatrical release of Despicable Me 3 I've partnered with The Hopping Bloggers to put together an awesome prize pack we're giving away! One lucky, randomly selected entrant will win over $100 in Despicable Me swag that includes:

• 3 Movie Collection on Blu-Ray: Minions, Despicable Me, & Despicable Me 2
• Despicable Me 3 Learn to Read Book
• Despicable Me 3 Mega Construx Building Set
• Despicable Me 3 Mystery Plush
• Despicable Me 3 Operation
• Despicable Me 3 Fluffy Funko Pop
• Despicable Me 3 Spy Gru Funko Pop

Synopsis Gru (Steve Carell) and his wife Lucy (Kristen Wiig) must stop former '80s child star Balthazar Bratt (Trey Parker) from achieving world domination.

Despicable Me comes to theaters June 30th!

Connect with Despicable Me

Official Site | Facebook | Twitter | #DespicableMe3

Enter to win this Despicable Me 3 Prize Pack using the form below.
GOOD LUCK!

Entry-Form

A DESPICABLE GIVEAWAY

** This post is in partnership with Universal Pictures **

The hilarious antics and misadventures of Gru and his Minions are returning to the big screen on JUNE 30 when DESPICABLE ME 3 opens at movie theaters throughout the United States.  To say me kids are EXCITED to go see this movie is an understatement.  Picture Agnes seeing a big Fluffy unicorn and you get my drift about how much they want to go on a family outing to see Despicable Me 3 this summer.



So what is the plot for this movie?  After he is fired from the Anti-Villain League for failing to take down the latest bad guy to threaten humanity, Gru finds himself in the midst of a major identity crisis.  But when a mysterious stranger shows up to inform Gru that he has a long-lost twin brother—a brother who desperately wishes to follow in his twin’s despicable footsteps—one former super-villain will rediscover just how good it feels to be bad.

To share my family's excitement about this movie, A Geek Daddy is hosting A DESPICABLE GIVEAWAY.  I'll be giving away to one lucky randomly selected winner a $25 Fandango gift card to see Despicable Me 3 at the movie theater plus two Despicable Me Mega Construx Micro packs. Must be over 18 years old and have a U.S. mailing address to be eligible to win (no P.O. Boxes allowed).  Prizes are courtesy of Universal Pictures and Mega Brands. Enter below for a chance to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

MEGA CONSTRUX MICRO ACTION FIGURES

Get ready for buildable buffoonery movie-sized mischief with Despicable Me action figures in Mega Construx blind bag Micro packs.  There are 12 to collect including Fluffy the unicorn among an assortment of minions for you to create your own shenanigans with.  Recommended for ages 5 and up, collect this new assortment of Mega Construx action figures that feature all-new outfits, gear, themes, and accessories to allow you to build your very own loyal tribe of Minions.  Available now at Toys R Us, Target and Walmart.

For more information about the movie, please visit www.despicable.me. Also check out the Despicable Me social media content on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and GruTube searching with #DespicableMe3. Find out more about Mega Construx toys by visiting www.megaconstrux.com or following the brand on Twitter or Instagram.

DISCLAIMER & GIVEAWAY RULES A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this post and  hosting the giveaway but did receive the same prize being awarded for personal use. The prize is provided by Universal Pictures. Must be a US resident over the age of 18 to participate. Must submit eligible entries through the rafflecopter format for a chance to win. Winner when notified by email has 48 hours to reply by providing a valid mailing address within the United States to accept the prize. Universal Pictures will be responsible for shipping the prize to the randomly selected winner.  By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog as we are facilitating this free opportunity as a benefit to our readers.

Meet Gru's Twin Brother in DESPICABLE ME 3

Illumination, the studio behind Despicable Me, Despicable Me 2 and Minions, continues the adventures of Gru, Lucy, their adorable daughters—Margo, Edith and Agnes—and the Minions in Despicable Me 3 which arrives at movie theaters in the USA on June 30, 2017.  Joining in the action of the newest movie is Dru, the twin brother of Gru, who we are introduced to in this new trailer for Despicable Me 3:



Joining Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig in Despicable Me 3 is Emmy, Tony and Grammy Award winner Trey Parker, co-creator of Comedy Central’s global phenomenon South Park and the Broadway smash The Book of Mormon.  Parker voices the role of villain Balthazar Bratt, a former child star who’s grown up to become obsessed with the character he played in the ‘80s, and proves to be Gru’s most formidable nemesis to date.

The question now is what piece to the puzzle does Dru play in the motion picture's plot? While you are waiting for Despicable Me 3 to arrive at theaters to find out the answer to that question have some fun using new Twitter Emojis that appear when using #DespicableMe3 and #Minions that allow you to include images of characters from the movie in your tweets.  You can also follow the movie's official Twitter feed, @DespicableMe, for news and updates about the film.  While you are on Twitter make sure to follow @Geekdad248 to stay in touch with everything A GEEK DADDY is blogging about.

Who else is looking forward to the return of the minions this summer?!

Win a SING Movie Prize Pack

My kids have been wanting to go see SING since they saw its trailer when we saw THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS during the summer and it finally arrives at theaters on December 23rd! To share our family's excitement about the theatrical release of this new animated film from ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENT (the studio behind Despicable Me and The Secret Life of Pets) I'm co-hosting a SING themed giveaway valued at $60! What is included?

• Johnny Plush
• Buster Plush
• $25 Fandango Gift Card

Your kids will enjoy these plush toys and you can use the gift card to take the family to see SING!



About the film

Illumination Entertainment has captivated audiences all over the world with the beloved hits Despicable Me, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, Despicable Me 2 and Minions which is now the second-highest-grossing animated movie in history. Following the release of this summer’s comedy blockbuster The Secret Life of Pets, Illumination Entertainment presents SING this holiday season. With its highly relatable characters, heart and humor, the first collaboration between writer/director Garth Jennings (Son of Rambow, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy) and Illumination's founder and CEO Chris Meledandri marks the sixth fully animated feature from the studio. SING stars Academy Award® winners Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, alongside Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton and Grammy Award-nominated Tori Kelly. Set in a world like ours but entirely inhabited by animals, SING is the story of Buster Moon (McConaughey), a dapper koala who presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. Buster is an eternal—some might even say delusional—optimist who loves his theater above all and will do anything to preserve it. Now faced with the crumbling of his life’s ambition, he has one final chance to restore his fading jewel to its former glory by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.

SING hits theaters December 23rd!

Connect with Sing on Social Media:

 Official Website: http://www.singmovie.com/
 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SingMovie  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SingMovie
 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SingMovie/
Tumblr: http://singmovie.tumblr.com/  
#SingMovie

Enter to win the SING prize pack using the form below. GOOD LUCK!

Entry-Form

Despicable 3 villain has been unveiled -- Balthazar Bratt

If you were a star in the 1980's then it was guaranteed there was a lunch box with your picture on it.  Metal lunch boxes for children featuring popular characters from cartoons, movies, and television shows were a sign of the times.  I have fond memories of the tin Empire Strikes Back lunch box that I took to school during my elementary school years.  Illumination Entertainment, the animation film production company behind Despicable Me, Minions, and Secret Life of Pets, recently sent A Geek Daddy one of these retro style lunch boxes featuring Balthazar Bratt to tease the upcoming release of Despicable Me 3 which will be arriving at theaters across the United States next summer on June 30, 2017.

Who is Balthazar Bratt?  He's a former child actor who was an international sensation during the 1980's for his role in the top-rated TV show Evil Bratt (1985 - 1987).  Bratt received numerous accolades from the role including back-to-back Kids' Pick Awards for Heart-Throb-biest Leading Actor and a top spot on the Forbes 12-Under-12 List.  At the height of his popularity though, disaster struck! Balthazar hit puberty in the middle of the show's third season and overnight he was no longer the cute, fresh-faced kid who had charmed TV audiences as his voice cracked while delivering lines and acne began covering his face.  His show was cancelled before the final episode of the season could even air and Balthazar Bratt never resurfaced publicly.

It appears from the hint sent by Illumination Entertainment in the form of the mysterious Evil Bratt lunch box that arrived at my house along with a profile page printed out from the online information source Despikipedia that Balthazar is planning a comeback with a vengeance as Gru's adversary in Despicable Me 3.  What dastardly plans does Balthazar Bratt have in store for the world?  Will the Minions save the day? You'll have to find out by going to see the movie when it comes out!

For more information about Balthazar Bratt, visit www.despikipedia.org/evilbratt/

The Secret Life of Pets: Easter Teaser

My kids have been looking forward to seeing THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS since they first started seeing its trailers at the theater last year and while they still have a few more months to go before the film debuts they were excited to get another advance peek at the movie with this Easter themed teaser that Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures released for the holiday weekend.



THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS' story revolves around a Manhattan apartment building where a dog named Max has his life as a favorite pet turned upside down when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke.  Max and Duke have to put their quarrels behind them though when they find out that an adorable white bunny named Snowball is building an army of abandoned pets determined to take revenge on all the happy-owned pets and their owners in their building.

This really looks like an original and funny movie that children and kids-at-heart of all ages will enjoy.  Our family will absolutely be going to see it after The Secret Life of Pets arrives at movie theaters across the United States on July 8, 2016!  For more information, visit thesecretlifeofpets.com

#SecretLifeofPets #HappyEaster

Yogurt Freezes great treat for Minions Family Movie Night

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias and its advertiser.  All opinions are mine alone. #MinionsMovieNight #CollectiveBias

My little minions have been beseeching me to add Minions © 2015 Universal Studios. All rights reserved. to our home video library ever since we went to see it at the movie theater over the summer.  So on December 8, 2015 when Illumination Entertainment released Minions on Blu-ray and DVD we raced to the store to pick it up so our family could enjoy a #MinionsMovieNight at home.

We always like to do a fun activity or make a special treat to make family movie nights a bit more memorable than us just sitting on the couch and throwing a disc in the dvd player.  For our Minions family movie night, we made yogurt freezes resembling the three minions who are the stars of the movie, Stuart, Kevin & Bob.  Because we were going to enjoy watching Minions in the ambiance of our living room Christmas Tree we added some holiday flair to our treats by dressing them with Santa caps and red minions' overalls. To make your own fun family movie night minions Yogurt Freeze treats here are the ingredients and directions for the recipe:

Ingredients

Lemon Yogurt
Bananas
Fruit Sheet Snacks
Mini Marshmallows
Mini Chocolate Chips
Chocolate Sprinkles
White Frosting (plus Blue if you want that colored overalls)
Popsicle Sticks

Directions

+ Line a cookie sheet with wax paper;
+ Cut your bananas in half and insert a popsicle stick in the bottom;
+ Place your bananas on the cookie sheet;
+ Completely cover each banana half with lemon yogurt (another option is to use yellow food coloring in vanilla yogurt for a brighter minion color than we achieved);
+ Cut your mini marshmallows in half and place them to represent the minions' googles;
+ Use your mini chocolate chips for the eye balls, goggle bands, and mouths;
+ Shape red fruit sheet snacks into the shape of Santa caps and overalls placing them on your minions;
+ If you want to go with the movie look for your minions don't add the Santa caps and cover the red overalls with blue frosting.  Instead of using fruit sheet snacks for the outline of the overalls you can also go to a craft or bakery supply store and get blue edible paper to craft your overalls with.
+ Create the brim and ball of your minions' Santa cap  with white frosting;
+ Use chocolate sprinkles for the hair on minions not wearing a Santa cap;
+ Place the cookie sheet in your freezer for one hour.
+ Pull them out and you have a Yogurt Freeze minion you can eat that will be yummy for your tummy.

CLICK HERE for more Minions Movie Night inspiration.

Minions (rated PG) tells the story of how the minions came to serve Felonious Gru in the Illumination Entertainment movies Despicable Me & Despicable Me 2.  In this movie, which features the voice talents of Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, and Michael Keaton, as the bumbling minions try to find their place in the world, Stuart, Kevin and Bob become recruited by super-villain Scarlet Overkill and her inventor husband Herb in a plot to steal the British crown.  Hilarity and high jinks ensue.  

CLICK HERE to find a retailer where you can purchase Minions on Blu-ray or DVD.

My kids adore the minions and also found them to be rather delicious!