Disney's live action adaption of the beloved animated movie MULAN is now available via digital purchases to add to your home entertainment video library. Get it now from MoviesAnywhere, AmazonPrime, Vudu and other popular movie retailers. We picked up dinner from our favorite Chinese restaurant (Mui's in Clawson, Michigan), had a good time completing a Mulan themed activity pack, and enjoyed watching this movie courtesy of our friends at Walt Disney Studios.
We had such a wonderful evening I wanted to share our family movie night fun! So I've included the activity sheets below for you to enjoy. Plus...I have a digital code redeemable from moviesanywhere.com to giveaway!
For a chance to win a digital code to redeem Mulan from MoviesAnywhere, just complete the rafflecopter entries below before 11:59 pm on October 25, 2020. Must be a United States resident to be eligible for the giveaway and for the code to work. All entrants must be over 18 years old. Good luck!
To save her ailing father from serving in the Imperial army, a fearless young woman named Mulan disguises herself as a man to battle invaders who are set on killing the Emperor and destroying China in the process. Aiding these rogues is a devilish witch who has the men of China overmatched until one of their own soldiers surprises everyone. Does Mullan have the courage and chi to save her friends, family and the Emperor's dynasty?
The movie is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence. While there isn't anything particularly troublesome for young viewers to watch in this movie, note it isn't the kids cartoon that so many families are familiar with. The goofy sidekicks and warm hearted songs of the animated film have been replaced with more serious themes about female empowerment and devotion to family. Still the movie is filled with vivid visuals of landscapes, jaw dropping martial arts scenes and eye catching special effects. This version of Mulan just may be a bit more fitting for tweens and teens to watch with their parents for some Disney family movie night entertainment instead of the elementary school aged kids that people may think would be into it.
Thanks to Fox Home Entertainment for providing us with a free code so we could watch THE CALL OF THE WILD on Movies Anywhere. The movie is now available to purchase digitally and will be out on Blu-ray beginning May 12, 2020. In addition to sending THE CALL OF THE WILD our way for a family movie night, we were also provided with some great activity sheets to share with our ageekdaddy.com audience.
Pick up the movie for yourself and have a good time with these activity sheets for a night of family fun. You know what else would go great with THE CALL OF THE WILD? S'mores!
Grab some graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate to make yourself a sticky treat that would be perfect to snack on during a THE CALL OF THE WILD family movie night. Sticking with the theme of the movie's plot revolving around the wilderness of the Yukon during the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s I'm going to make a fire in our chimney for roasting up S'mores and to give our living room a rugged ambience while we enjoy the movie.
Adapted from the classic novel by Jack London, THE CALL OF THE WILD vividly brings to the screen the
story of Buck, a big-hearted dog whose blissful domestic life is turned upside down when he is suddenly kidnapped from his cushy California home and transplanted to the exotic wilds of the Canadian Yukon to be sold as a sled dog during the
Gold Rush. As the newest rookie on a mail delivery dog sled team
--
and later its leader
--
Buck
experiences the adventure of a lifetime. Overcoming new found challenges and hardships, Buck ultimately finds his true place in the world by becoming his own
master.
THE CALL OF THE WILD is a live
-
action/animation hybrid. The movie employs visual effects and animation
technology in order to bring the animals in the film to life. Directed by Chris Sanders, THE CALL OF THE WILD stars Harrison Ford, Omar Sy, Dan Stevens, Karen Gillan, Bradley Whitford, Cara Gee, Michael Horse,
Jean Louisa Kelly, Colin Woodell, Adam Fergus and Abraham Benrubi. It is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for adventure/drama.
Good Deed Entertainment made a donation to the World Animal Foundation to symbolically adopt a pelican on my family's behalf in promotion of the April 5, 2019 theatrical debut of STORM BOY within the United States. This Australian film starring Geoffrey Rush, Jai Courtney, Finn Little, Trevor Jamison, Morgana Davies, and Erik Thompson tells the story of a young boy and his extraordinary friendship with an orphaned pelican. STORM BOY is based upon a short story written by Colin Thiele that is beloved by Australians and is now being shared with us Americans through this film.
STORM BOY is rated PG for thematic elements, mild peril and brief language by the Motion Picture Association of America. Filmed on location in South Australia’s remote Coorong National Park, the movie compliments the context of Thiele's novella with wonderful visual imagery. Visit gooddeedentertainment.com/stormboy to find theaters and purchase tickets to this movie.
Whether it is taking a casual stroll through a local park or an adventurous trek while on vacation, my kids always enjoy having an encounter with wildlife. It could be as simple as seeing a cardinal sitting on a backyard fence or a stunning encounter like observing a flock of pelicans on a rocky outcrop while exploring Florida's gulf coast, but whatever the situation I always notice a look of wonder on my kids' faces when they see creatures out in their natural habitat. So it is frustrating that because of human disregard when it comes to conservation, pollution and habitat preservation impacting our planet's environment and its variety of eco-systems that so many animals are threatened with extinction. Just think about what are lives would be like void of the wonder of wildlife in our world around us?
ADOPT A PELICAN
By making a financial donation to symbolically adopt a pelican from the World Animal Foundation, people are supporting this non-profit's mission to make the world a more compassionate place for all animals - wild animals, companion animals, aquatic animals and farm animals -- through grass roots action and activism. The greatest threats to pelicans are habitat loss, hunting, human interference with nesting activities, poisoning from insecticides and industrial pollutants, oil spills and fishing injuries. Money raised from the World Animal Foundation's Adopt An Animal program funds lobbying for legislation at local, state and federal levels to counter these threats plus supports hands-on activities to protect wildlife in their natural habitats.
The ADOPT A PELICAN package we received from Good Deed Entertainment included a plush pelican from Wild Republic. They truly make some wonderful stuffed animals! Plus we received a World Animal Foundation adoption kit.
Our World Animal Foundation adoption kit included a color photograph of one of the pelicans that would be assisted by the non-profit along with a certificate of adoption. It also included some informational sheets with trivia about pelicans. Did you know there are eight species of pelicans? These birds live on every continent except Antarctica, can fly as high as 3,000 feet and can have a wingspan that can reach a length of over 12 feet. These really are some magnificent creatures.
ACTIVITY SHEETS
Enjoy these STORM BOY activity sheets that include coloring pages, puzzles and pelican trivia:
FAN ART FRIDAY
Decorate the coloring pages and post a scan or picture of them on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #StormBoy. The movie's official social media accounts will be sharing some of their favorites forFan Art Fridaycorresponding with the film's theatrical opening on April 5.
ABOUT THE MOVIE
A beautiful and contemporary retelling of Colin Thiele's classic Australian tale. 'Storm Boy' has grown up to be
Michael Kingley, a successful retired businessman and grandfather. When Kingley starts to see images from his
past that he can't explain, he is forced to remember his long
-forgotten childhood, growing up on an isolated coastline with his father. He recounts to his grand-daughter the story of how, as a boy, he rescued and raised
an extraordinary orphaned pelican, Mr. Percival. Their remarkable adventures and very special bond has a
profound effect on all their lives. Based on the beloved book, Storm Boy is a timeless story of an unusual and
unconditional friendship.
For more information about the film, check out its official website plus Instagram and Facebook feeds:
Puzzled about what to view for your next family movie night? National Puzzle Day brings us the Blu-ray and DVD release of THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS. This is Disney's live-action adaptation for the well-known ballet which portrays the story with spellbinding imagery transporting audiences to a colorful fantasy world. My daughter who has been dancing ballet for several years now enjoyed the film's performances by Misty Copeland as the Ballerina Princess while her brother appreciated the adventurous aspects of the movie, especially the battle scenes that include sword fights and life-sized toy soldiers.
Walt Disney Studios kindly sent us a 200-piece jig saw puzzle along with THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS Blu-ray+DVD+Digital combo pack to commemorate the National Puzzle Day home entertainment video release of the movie. With a polar vortex putting our neighborhood in a deep freeze, we had a fun evening putting together this puzzle showcasing Copeland as the Ballerina Princess on our dining room table after supper followed by bundling up in blankets together on the living room couch to watch THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS for an impromptu family movie night. It was a nice movie to watch at home on a cold winter night.
Disney's film is loosely inspired by E.T.A. Hoffman's short story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King" written in 1816 and Alexandre Dumas later adaption of this tale titled "The Story of a Nutcracker" which were later turned into a ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1892. There is a wonderful dance sequence during one scene in the movie but THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS is more focused on portraying a fantasy adventure than recreating the ballet on the big screen. For some that may be a disappointment and others a blessing. Copeland's performance joined by Ukranian dancer Sergie Polunin though does provide a nice connection to Tchaikovsky's ballet whose holiday time performances have become an iconic part of the Christmas season without making dancing a mainstay of the movie's plot.
The movie is set in Victorian England starting with a father giving his children Christmas presents his wife had set aside for them before she died. His youngest daughter, Clara, receives a handcrafted egg-shaped box that she is unable to unlock. In her quest to unlock her present, Clara becomes transported to a parallel dimension that consists of four realms. The girl discovers that her mother created this magical place populating it with toys that were brought to life. Unfortunately, the four realms are in a state of turmoil and war and Clara is tasked with bringing peace and stability as the heir to this fantasy world's creator. The key to solving the dilemma she is confronted with is being able to open that mysterious Christmas present. Clara thus takes part in an adventure to restore harmony to this land and get back home to her family in England.
THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS is rated PG for some mild peril. As a parent, I appreciated that the movie promotes Clara's interest in science, engineering and tinkering with mechanical things highlighting important STEM themes for kids. It also has valuable messages for children that can be taken away from the story such as learning from one's mistakes, the value of self-confidence, and the importance of perseverance which make it a good film to view for a family movie night. Because of these educational elements presented within an entertaining story, THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS gets A Geek Daddy nod of approval. The fact that my daughter was delighted by Copeland's dance number factored in to this movie getting a good review too.
Add some extra fun to a family movie night with these THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS activity sheets and coloring pages:
Bonus segments included with the Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Code combo pack of THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS that ageekdaddy.com received to review include deleted scenes, a featurette on ballerina Misty Copeland titled On Pointe, "Unwrapping The Nutcracker and the Four Realms" documentary, and music videos for “Fall On Me” By Andrea Bocelli and “The Nutcracker Suite” By Lang Lang from the movie's soundtrack. THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS is now available on 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital to add to your home entertainment video library. For more information, visit movies.disney.com/the-nutcracker-and-the-four-realms
Generations of children have enjoyed the wild adventures of Woody Woodpecker for more than seventy years. Now parents like myself who grew up watching Woody Woodpecker cartoons on television can share this iconic character with their kids in a new movie that combines live action with animation to bring the feathery prankster to life. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is releasing WOODY WOODPECKER on February 6, 2018 via DVD, Digital, and Cable TV On Demand.
We had a fun evening viewing WOODY WOODPECKER for a family movie night thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment sending us the DVD in advance of its official release. It is a humorous movie that kept my kids giggling at the crazy turf war that takes place between the wisecracking woodpecker and a big city lawyer who wants to tear down Woody's forest home to build a mansion. WOODY WOODPECKER really is a nice movie for adults and children to watch together for an entertaining movie night. To share my family's enjoyment of WOODY WOODPECKER, A Geek Daddy has some FREE activity sheets to share plus is hosting a movie giveaway too.
ACTIVITY SHEETS
MOVIE PRIZE PACK GIVEAWAY
One lucky winner will receive WOODY WOODPECKER on DVD along with the movie soundtrack on CD in a prize pack courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. A Geek Daddy will randomly select one eligible entry from all valid submissions within the rafflecopter form below completed before February 13, 2018. You must be a resident with a mailing address within the continental 48 United States over 18 years old to participate in this giveaway promotion. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will be responsible for the delivery of the prize to the selected giveaway winner. Also A Geek Daddy did not receive any financial compensation for hosting this promotion but did receive the featured product for free. Now we've gone through the rules and disclaimers ... good luck everyone!
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
Educational publisher Scholastic has teamed up with the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute's Education and Research Foundation to create an online resource portal to help parents avoid their kids suffering from succumbing to the "summer slide" -- the phenomenon where students lose important skills they've learned over the last year during the break from school. By visiting scholastic.com/turfmutt kids between the ages of 5 and 12 can participate in a variety of activities meant to encourage them to care for the environment and which demonstrate how science impacts the world around us. Topics include how to take better care of green spaces, understanding how climate impacts ecosystems and the importance of living landscapes.
A band of cartoon superheroes, TurfMutt & the Outdoor Powers, demonstrate how to become a "backyard superhero" through lighthearted lessons that are meant to be both educational and entertaining. These resources are all FREE for families to access online as well as to download and print out. Activities include:
Digital Storybooks
Encourage summer reading by providing a child with TurfMutt's digital storybooks. There are two to choose from. The West Coast Mission and Saving the Planet, One Yard at a Time. They can be read online or downloaded a a pdf file to read on a mobile device or as a print out.
Creative Writing
After a child has read TurfMutt's digital storybooks encourage them to write their own story. Utilize the learning portal's online story creator app to help. Children simply add their name, select their age range, and off they go! TurfMutt's story idea spinner suggests imaginative topics with a countless combination of options to encourage kids to get writing. The app even includes a drawing screen so illustrations can be added to their stories.
Outdoor-Themed Activity Sheets
Print out these activity sheets, turn off the computer and get outside to complete them. These hands-on activities are based on STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) principles and encourage kids to learn about the green spaces around them. The activity sheets are available in two categories --> for students in grades K - 2 and for those in grades 3 - 5.
Climate Quest Game
This video game challenges children to answer questions correctly to help TurfMutt and the Outdoor Powers move through various climate regions on an interactive map of the United States.
Educational Videos
This special section of the Scholastic website also offers several educational short movies for kids to view that cover topics about living landscapes. They teach children how to help their families be good environmental stewards of the green spaces in their communities.
Additionally, the learning portal includes section with resources for parents and teachers to help them get kids engaged in learning STEM concepts relating to the environment. Click here to check out the campaign partners, which include the EPA, the Center for Green Schools, and Outdoors Alliance for Kids, who want to encourage kids to be involved with the conservation and preservation of our planet's environment one yard at a time.
Who else is excited that CARS 3 will be racing into movie theaters soon?! My family is revving to go to see the next chapter in one of our favorite movie franchises. Can't wait for the green flag to drop and the new adventure to start. Thanks to our friends at Disney PIXAR we have a fun board game featuring Lightning McQueen and the cast of automobiles from Cars 3 to play with while we're idling for the film's debut weekend. A Geek Daddy is also happy to be able to share this free build it yourself board game called RACE TO THE FINISH with our fans.
Can you be the first to cross the finish line in this racing themed game? Pick from four of the Cars characters from the movie and compete to be the first across the finish line. Roll the dice with the lowest number getting the first turn. Roll the dice to see how many spaces your character can move during a turn. Or your roll may show "Draw a Card." Follow the instructions on the card you pull to see where you go.
Everything you need to build this game is embedded below. Just download the sheets and print them out. After a little bit of cutting and taping you'll have an entertaining game to play. Have a fun family night watching the previous movies and playing RACE TO THE FINISH in anticipation of going to see Cars 3.
Cars 3 promises to be full of
action, racing, funny moments and fun adventure scenes. The movie begins with
Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) blindsided by a new generation
of blazing-fast racers. Trying to get back to the front of the pack,
McQueen turns to an eager young race technician named Cruz Ramirez
(voiced by Cristela Alonzo) for help plus gets some inspiration from the
late Fabulous Hudson Hornet. Making his way through some unexpected
turns #95 shows that he isn't done yet. Can Lightning McQueen win
another Piston Cup and take another cruise through victory lane? We'll
have to see the movie to find out!
Learn more about Cars 3 at cars.disney.com which includes character profiles, craft ideas, games, videos and an online store of themed merchandise. Also check out their Twitter and Facebook accounts as we head into the final stretch to the opening weekend of Cars 3!
Saturday, September 17th is DC Comics' annual BATMAN DAY fan appreciation event. Stop by local comic shops, book stores, libraries, Six Flags parks and other participating locations to pick-up a FREE copy of BATMAN #1 from this year's DC REBIRTH written by Tom King and illustrated by David Finch, Matt Banning and Jordie Bellaire featuring a special BATMAN DAY 2016 cover. I picked up that issue when it first came out and it is actually a very good comic book to be able to get for free. CLICK HERE to find a location participating in this BATMAN DAY giveaway near you.
Pottery Barn Kids is also hosting a special BATMAN DAY event at their stores across the USA at 11am on Saturday, September 17, 2016. Space is limited so you'll need to contact Pottery Barn Kids to reserve a spot for children plus purchase a Batman Pencil Case from them. The pencil case will be filled with crayons and other goodies that kids can enjoy during a Batman themed craft and story time. CLICK HERE to find a out more information about contacting a store to reserve a spot.
If you want to enjoy BATMAN DAY without leaving the house, A Geek Daddy has you covered! Just print out this Batman coloring page or CLICK HERE to download a free BATMAN DAY fun pack filled with activity sheets, trivia and games courtesy of DC Comics, Warner Bros. and their publishing licensees.
As the Summer Games in Rio move into their final week add some Skylander fun into the mix as your family cheers on its favorite athletes. Just as you can customize your characters in the upcoming Skylanders Imaginator video game, personalize these Skylanders printouts and their accessories in the colors of the teams you are rooting for to add some Skylander spirit to the Summer Games.
As the events in Rio wrap up it is time to start think about training for the 2020 games! How can use a kid's passion for Skylanders video games to get them outside getting exercise and inspiring them to want to be healthy like an athlete #trainingfor2020? We used our family's Skylander figures in a weight lifting challenge and as a baton for a backyard relay race.
What creative ways can you utilize Skylander toys-to-life figures to inspire your kids to pretend they are training to be an athlete for the 2020 Summer Games? Share your pictures and videos with the Skylanders team on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #Skylanders and #Trainingfor2020 and they'll share some of their favorites with the world.
For more information about the newest installment of the Skylanders video game franchise Imaginators, visit www.skylanders.com/Imaginators
Our family had the opportunity to see an advance screening of Disney's PETE'S DRAGON before its August 12th opening weekend and we all really enjoyed the show. My daughter specifically was delighted by PETE'S DRAGON sitting on the edge of her seat through the whole movie. When my wife suggested she sit back in her seat my 7 year old exclaimed "I can't it's too exciting!"
This movie is a re-imagining of the 1977 family film that combined Disney's hallmark animation with live action sequences that were similar to other campy movies of the time like The Apple Dumpling Gang and Herbie the Love Bug. The original movie featured musical singing and dancing routines, slap stick humor, and a cartoonish dragon with purple hair and wings. While the new adaption features an orphaned boy named Pete who is befriended and protected by a dragon he names Elliot that is about all the similarities between the two movies as 2016's PETE'S DRAGON really is its own stand alone tale. While the original film is known for outlandish characters and musical numbers, the new movie stands out as a drama that tells a story which absorbs audiences into it through well developed characters, impressive stunts, stunning natural backdrops, and wonderful special effects. It also features some comedic moments that had the whole theater laughing, mostly involving the reactions by people in the movie the first time they get their eyes on Elliot.
I have to give a lot of credit to the Disney special effects team who created Elliot as they had a difficult balancing act of attempting to make Elliot into a "realistic" dragon that also wouldn't be scary for most children as this is meant to be a family friendly film. They did an extraordinary job bring to life on the screen a magical creature that can be viewed both as fierce and intimidating but also as cuddly and affectionate. The dragon has the look of a giant green labrador retriever with wings providing a character that has a warm appearance but also should have people wary of its bite -- or in this case breathing fire! As a kid I liked Pete's Dragon so much that Elliot was my Halloween costume one year, so as a parent enjoying the new movie with my kids I appreciated that it paid homage to the original beloved character by preserving the dragon's snaggletooth and ability to turn invisible. While the stories aren't connected it was nice to see a few elements of the 1977 movie incorporated into the 2016 version in Elliot's appearance...and I have to say I don't miss the purple hair. Disney really did an impressive job of creating Elliot for PETE'S DRAGON and while watching the movie you don't view it as a special effect but rather see it as a character in the movie on par with the human actors.
Pete's Dragon 1977
PETE'S DRAGON 2016
In PETE'S DRAGON, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted
local children for years with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in
the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas
Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more
than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a
mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in
the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliot. And from Pete’s
descriptions, Elliot seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr.
Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an
11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber
mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he
belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
PETE'S DRAGON is rated PG for action, peril and brief language. In my opinion this rating is primarily for three scenes. The movie starts off with an accident which leaves Pete alone in the woods being stalked by some very vicious looking wolves that appear very ready to eat him. Another sequence has men with rifles shooting at Elliot. There is also a scene where Elliot attacks several characters by breathing fire at them putting them at risk of being killed. The film really is suitable for children of any age, but as a parent if you have a child who may be sensitive to intense situations or easily scared these scenes are what you should really be aware of before he or she sees the movie. For the most part though this is a great movie for a family outing filled with some great messages for kids such as valuing family and wildlife.
Please enjoy these free downloadable PETE'S DRAGON activity sheets and for more information about the movie visit movies.disney.com/petes-dragon-2016
Look at this! We ran into Elliot from Pete's Dragon while taking a hike through the woods! Of course you can't see him because the dragon can make himself invisible; but trust me he's standing right there getting a hug from my kids. You'll actually be able to see what Elliot looks like though in Disney's new adaption of PETE'S DRAGON when it opens at theaters across the United States on Friday, August 12, 2016.
For a sneak peek at Elliot before the move hits theaters, A Geek Daddy has some activity sheets and coloring pages to share with our blog readers featuring Pete and his dragon:
In PETE'S DRAGON, old wood carver Mr. Meacham (Robert Redford) has delighted
local children for years with his tales of the fierce dragon that resides deep in
the woods of the Pacific Northwest. To his daughter, Grace (Bryce Dallas
Howard), who works as a forest ranger, these stories are little more
than tall tales…until she meets Pete (Oakes Fegley). Pete is a
mysterious 10-year-old with no family and no home who claims to live in
the woods with a giant, green dragon named Elliot. And from Pete’s
descriptions, Elliot seems remarkably similar to the dragon from Mr.
Meacham’s stories. With the help of Natalie (Oona Laurence), an
11-year-old girl whose father Jack (Wes Bentley) owns the local lumber
mill, Grace sets out to determine where Pete came from, where he
belongs, and the truth about this dragon.
Enjoy a summer of awesomeness with KUNG FU PANDA 3. In the newest sequel to Dreamworks Animation's Kung Fu Panda movie franchise, Po is reunited with his long-lost father and travels to a secret village where he meets hilarious new panda friends and family members. But when the supernatural villain Kai challenges all the Kung Fu masters across China, Po must discover the teacher within himself and train his clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas! My kids thought this movie was AWESOME when they saw during its theatrical run and now families can enjoy it all summer long as Kung Fu Panda 3 is now available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD.
While the story of course revolves around Po as the Kung Fu Panda, my daughter's favorite character is Tigress so A Geek Daddy let her select a few fun activity sheets to share with you courtesy of our friends at Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment who are distributing the video formats of the film. In addition to the movie themed activity sheets, we also have a KUNG FU PANDA 3 - AWESOME EDITION on Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD to give away! Who wants it?!
To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow
@Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet embedded above before July 10, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST. Must be a US
resident over the age of 18 to participate. One entry per person and
we'll
randomly select a winner from all eligible entries.
The KUNG FU PANDA 3 - AWESOME EDITION includes 2 all-new Kung Fu Panda animated short films (Po's Posters of Awesomeness and Panda Paws) , Everybody Loves A Panda Party Karaoke with Po, Make a Panda Party Paper Pal and more! The special features will also for the first time ever reveal the extra-super-secret origin of Po's world-famous catchphrase "Skadoosh" so you won't want to miss out on watching them.
A Geek Daddy hopes you have a summer of awesomeness enjoying watching KUNG FU PANDA 3 as part of your home video library and having fun with these activity sheets.
FTC DISCLOSURE / DISCLAIMER:A Geek Daddy Blog will
be
responsible
for selecting the winner of this contest, but Fox Home Entertainment is
responsible for fulfillment and delivery of the prize.
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. Winner must be following the twitter account
@Geekdad248 at the time winner is randomly drawn to be eligible and so
he or she can be notified. Must reply to DM within 48 hours of
notification or a new winner will be selected. If you win this prize on
another blog, you will not be
eligible to win again. Must be a US resident over 18 years
old. A Geek Daddy
Blog did not receive any financial compensation but did receive the same
gift package that is being awarded to one of
our readers for this
contest. A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our
readers. Any opinions in this post are my own. A Geek Daddy is a member
of the Fox Home Entertainment Insiders Blogger Program receiving special
information and perks as part of its participation. #PandaInsiders
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator and James and the Giant Peach were three of my favorite books to read in grade school and I read each of them multiple times during my youth. So I'm excited the story by their author that was his favorite published work, "The BFG" has been made into a motion picture by Walt Disney Studios directed by Steven Spielberg. "The BFG" tells the tale of a ten-year-old orphan and her encounter with a big friendly giant and their battle with his brutish brothers in Giant Country. To share my excitement about The BFG arriving at theaters across the USA on July 1, 2016 here are some fun activity sheets and fun facts related to the movie.
FUN FACTS
Roald Dahl's "The BFG" was first published in 1982, the same year as Steven Spielberg's own story about an unusual and transformative friendship, "ET: The Extra-Terrestrial," captured the hearts and imaginations of children and adults. Melissa Mathison wrote the screenplays for both films.
The BFG is 24 feet tall. The biggest giant in Giant Country is Fleshlumpeater who is twice as big as the BFG. If NBA basketball player Lebron James, a forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers who is 6 feet 8 inches tall was standing next to Fleshlumpeater, he would come up to his ankle.
Roald Dahl was exceptionally tall himself, measuring 6 feet, 6 inches in height. 2016 marks the 100th anniversary of Dahl's birth. "The BFG" was Roald Dahl's favorite of all his stories and was originally created as a bedtime story for his grandchildren. The character Sophie was named after his granddaughter and based upon his daughter Olivia who died at 7 years old from the measles.
Production on "The BFG" was a combination of live action and performance capture (the performance capture techniques were used to bring the story's fantastical characters to life). Director Steven Spielberg filmed individuals in their performance capture suits acting on the same set with the film's totally human characters as he wanted to see the interaction between them.
ACTIVITY SHEETS
The BFG is rated PG and has a run time of 117 minutes. It began playing at movie
theaters across the United States on July 1, 2016. For more information
on the movie, visit movies.disney.com/the-bfg.
I took my 7 year old daughter to go see FINDING DORY and she found the movie absolutely adorable. In this sequel to 2003's FINDING NEMO which won the Academy Award for "Best Animated Feature", the friendly-but-forgetful blue tang fish Dory is on a mission to reunite with her loved ones, and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way. It is a touching, well-done film that is perfect for a summer family outing to the movie theater and will definitely be a contender for its own Best Animated Feature Oscar.
As is the norm with movies from Disney's Pixar Animation Studios, a short film is shown before the feature presentation of FINDING DORY. Called "Piper" it tells the story of a hungry sandpiper hatchling who ventures from her nest for the first time to dig for food by the shoreline. The only problem is, the food is buried beneath the sand where scary waves roll up onto the shore. This short directed by Alan Barillaro and produced by Marc Sondheimer was delightful to watch and was a wonderful themed pairing to the sea life themes of FINDING DORY. On the drive home from the movie theater my daughter told me that Piper was her "favorite pre-movie movie" she's ever seen.
Since seeing FINDING DORY my daughter has been constantly asking me "Who is Sigourney Weaver?" The movie begins with Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres), still forgetful with her short-term memory problem, living happily on the Great Australian Barrier Reef with clownfish Marlin (voiced by Albert Brooks) and Nemo (voiced by Hayden Rolence). When an event triggers Dory's memories so that she begins to remember glimpses of her family and where she came from, the blue tang fish heads off to rediscover her past. This leads her to travel across the ocean to the Marine Life Institute (MLI), an aquarium and fish hospital on the coast of California, searching for her parents. Marlin and Nemo follow in close pursuit hoping to catch up to their friend and keep Dory out of trouble and danger. As Dory swims towards the MLI aquarium she is warmly welcomed to visit the place by the cameo voice of Sigourney Weaver. In the film, Weaver welcomes the aquarium's human visitors and narrates educational points at its exhibits projected through loud speakers. All the kids in the theater who apparently had no clue who the actress is were looking at their parents wondering why the adults were chuckling at the repeated references to Sigourney Weaver throughout the movie. This very well could become the signature gag of FINDING DORY.
The MLI serves as the principal location for the adventures in this film as Dory, Marlin and Nemo explore it looking for clues to Dory's past. FINDING DORY is not as much about searching to physically locate a missing Dory but rather about rediscovering her past so she can find elements of her life that she has been missing. Since the MLI plays such an important role in this movie here are some fun educational activity sheets that you can incorporate into your FINDING DORY movie experience that tie into it.
Dory, Marlin and Nemo are assisted in exploring MLI by a new cast of characters that include Hank (voice of Ed O'Neill), a cantankerous "septopus" -- an octopus who only has seven tentacles because he lost one in an aquarium incident -- who frequently escapes his tank; Bailey (voice of Ty Burrell), a beluga whale who is convinced his biological sonar skills are on the fritz; Destiny (voice of Kaitlin Olson), a nearsighted whale shark; Flake (voiced by Idris Elba) and Rudder (voiced by Dominic West), a pair of lazy sea lions; and a pack of very cute otters. For the most part these new characters are entertaining and likeable but to be honest are just frankly not as interesting as the supporting crew from FINDING NEMO. With the exception of Hank who is a great addition to the movie, really steals the show and is better than any of the supporting characters from FINDING NEMO. I found all the scenes involving Hank very funny and entertaining. Hank was by far my favorite character in the movie. Plus you'll want to watch all the humorous sequences involving him that they incorporate into the credits. My daughter didn't agree with me though on Hank being the best part of the movie giving that honor to ... baby Dory.
I have to admit that I never found Dory that endearing of a character in FINDING NEMO and was wondering how well her being the main character in a film would work out. In FINDING DORY, the movie creates a connection between the audience and the character through flashbacks featuring an adorable baby Dory that made everyone in the theater go "awe" every time she appears on the screen. These flashbacks combined with heartwarming story elements really allow Dory to stand on her own as a successful lead character for the movie. My daughter LOVED baby Dory and to be honest I did too.
Check out some of the new characters from FINDING DORY in these fun coloring pages:
So will Dory, Marlin and Nemo along with their new found friends at the MLI find Dory's parents? You'll have to go to the movie to find out! I will say though that you need to stay through the credits to see one final scene that really brings FINDING NEMO and FINDING DORY together full circle in a humorous way. Just Keep Swimming to your local movie theater to see FINDING DORY while it is at the cinema as it really is worth the big screen experience.
FINDING DORY is rated PG and is 97 minutes long. The PG rating is attributable to scenes that include a potentially scary incident with a one-eyed squid and a horrific moment with Dory trapped in a bucket full of dead fish that could be disturbing for some children. For more information, visit movies.disney.com/finding-dory
Wow! How time flies! Can you believe that SHREK is celebrating the 15th anniversary of its theatrical release?! The 2001 movie which won the very first Oscar presented in the history of the Academy Awards for the category of Best Animated Feature has made the endearing ogre who stars in the motion picture a pop culture phenomenon ever since. In honor of SHREK's 15th anniversary, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment has re-released the movie for family's to add to their video libraries. SHREK - ANNIVERSARY EDITION is now available to purchase via Digital HD and will be released on June 7, 2016 for DVD and Blu-ray.
Relive every moment of Shrek’s (Mike Myers) daring quest to rescue feisty Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz), with the help of his lovable loudmouthed Donkey (Eddie Murphy), and win back the deed to his beloved swamp from scheming Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) with the home video re-release of the movie. To celebrate this anniversary, A Geek Daddy has some fun movie facts to share, is giving away SHREK - ANNIVERSARY EDITION on DVD, plus is providing a fun printable party kit that will help you have some family fun for a movie night.
FUN FACTS ABOUT SHREK
The movie is based upon a children's picture book by William Steig published in 1990. Steig was a long-time cartoonist for The New Yorker and had been referred to as "The King of Cartoons" by Newsweek.
William Steig also wrote a book titled "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" where a donkey has a magic pebble and scared of a lion wishes to become a boulder to protect himself from the giant feline. Donkey's saying "I like that boulder, that is a nice boulder" in SHREK is meant as a reference to "Sylvester and the Magic Pebble" and a tribute to Steig.
Cameron Diaz burped while recording lines after drinking a Coca-Cola and writers added the scene where Princess Fiona burps based upon that incident.
Donkey was based upon a real miniature donkey named Pericles that was kept at a park near Dreamwork's offices.
The song "I'm a Believe" which has become an anthem for the movie was chosen for the line in the song "I thought love was only true in fairy tales."
None of the actors voicing the movie's characters interacted with each other during the film's production. They each recorded their lines separately with a reader from the production crew feeding them the other characters lines.
Shrek showering in mud was the hardest part of the movie to animate so the animators took mud showers themselves to observe how to realistically show the scene in the film.
When Shrek's swamp is invaded at the beginning of the movie more than 1,000 fantasy characters are featured within the scene.
The storyboard artists responsible for The Gingerbread Man, Magic Mirror and Pinocchio voiced those characters.
Shrek, the character, was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
MOVIE GIVEAWAY
A Geek Daddy has a SHREK - ANNIVERSARY EDITION DVD to giveaway to one lucky blog reader or social media follower.
To be eligible for this giveaway you must follow
@Geekdad248 on Twitter and retweet our original contest tweet embedded above before May 30, 2016 @ 11:59 pm EST. Must be a US
resident over the age of 18 to participate. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize. One entry per person and winner will be selected from all eligible entries. Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be responsible for the delivery of the dvd to the selected winner. By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. A Geek Daddy is providing this giveaway contest as a benefit to our readers and social media followers.
UPDATE: Congrats to Becky from Revere MA on winning the SHREK movie prize pack!
SHREK PARTY KIT
Enjoy this fun party kit containing invitations, masks, and a Mess with Donkey game, among other things.
Happy 15th anniversary Shrek! I know our family will be enjoying your movies for many more years to come.
FTC DISCLOSURE / DISCLAIMER:A Geek Daddy is a
member
of the Fox Home Entertainment Insiders Blogger Program receiving special
information, goodies, giveaways and perks as part of its participation.
A Geek Daddy is not financially compensated for participating in the
program. Opinions expressed our my own. #Shrek15Insiders
** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free **
Thanks to the kindness of the nice people at Hasbro our family was able to enjoy a fun Star Wars themed Family Movie Night watching The Force Awakens the weekend before it was released on Blu-ray and DVD. We found a mysterious box on our front porch on April 1st with a big Star Wars logo on the front. It wasn't a joke though but rather the Blu-ray/DVD/DigitalHD movie bundle for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens a few days before the film's official April 5, 2016 release on Blu-ray and DVD.
In addition to receiving The Force Awakens to enjoy, the box was also filled with a variety of Star Wars goodies to help make our Family Movie Night extra special.
Hasbro Star Wars toys are a great way to re-enact favorite scenes from the Star Wars saga of movies. My son practiced his dueling skills with a light up Bladebuilders Kylo Ren lightsaber during The Force Awakens battle sequences while my daughter held tight to a giant Rey action figure throughout the show. The two of them have also had fun imagining up new adventures for BB-8, Finn, Rey and Maz Kanata with the Takodana Encounter 3.75 Inch Multipack that we also received in our Star Wars gift pack from Hasbro.
We always like to include some themed activities to our Family Movie Night entertainment. We started off the evening with a target shooting competition using a Star Wars NERF Episode VII First Order Stormtrooper Deluxe Blaster. I'd like to brag that I won this competition hands down but I'm also honest and have to say my wife took first place with my son doing pretty well too but I did hit more targets than my little girl did to avoid last place. Of course she schooled me in the next competition of the night which was several rounds of R2D2 Bop It. I have to say my daughter really loves that game!
Of course you can't have a Family Movie Night without treats! We snacked on Star Wars themed JELLO Jigglers of Chewbacca, C3P0, Darth Vader, R2D2 & Yoda along with some popchips and blue "bantha" milk. Here's my preferred recipe for Blue Milk just like Anakin and Luke Skywalker drank growing up on Tatooine:
Ingredients:
1 cup of milk;
1/2 teaspoon of unsweetened blue fruit punch mix;
1/2 teaspoon of sugar.
Directions:
Pour the milk into a tall glass and gently stir in the blue fruit punch 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.
There you have it our evening wasn't extravagant but we had a really good time for our Star Wars: The Force Awakens Family Movie Night. To add some fun to your own Star Wars themed movie night enjoy these freeThe Force Awakens activity sheets:
