My daughter LOVES the movie E.T.! She has a plush toy of the alien in her room, had a Halloween costume one year of her dressed as Elliot with E.T. attached to a bike handle and whenever visiting Orlando we have to stop by Universal Studios theme park to take her on their ride. She is going to be so GEEKED that a digitally remastered version of the film is being released on IMAX for theatrical showings to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the movie.
Wow! How time flies! I remember being eight years old and seeing the original release of E.T. when it first came out. Snacked on the Reese's Pieces that were being hyped at the snack stand which were plugged in the movie. It was an exciting outing to the movie theater and I was just the right age for it to be very relatable to me. Especially, the bike scenes as my friends and I would spend hours every day back then riding around our neighborhood.
So, obviously my family has an appreciation for this movie! It is going to be fun to see it on a giant IMAX screen. Though noting it is a "classic" 40 year old movie is making me feel old. Yet there is nothing like bringing out your inner child as an adult then watching a nostalgic movie with your own kids who also enjoy seeing it.
For more information on going to see E.T. on an IMAX screen, go to imax.com
** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free to review**
A new wave of expansion packs for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's popular LEGO Dimensions video game are now on store shelves. Players can now expand their game playing experience by incorporating new characters and vehicles from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Sonic the Hedgehog, Gremlins, E.T. -- The Extra-Terrestrial and Adventure Time into their LEGO Dimensions adventures.
In addition to adding new characters, vehicles and locals to LEGO Dimensions, all the expansion packs in this latest wave feature Battle Arenas with competitive split-screen local gameplay for up to four players. LEGO minifigures included in the expansion packs also come with special golden Toy Tags which unlock a free play Adventure World of the corresponding entertainment brand, as well as a battle arena that can be reached through Vorton. Players can explore Adventure Worlds for Gremlins, and also play four exciting gameplay modes within the battle arenas, including Capture the Flag, Objective, Base Bash, and Tick, Tag, Boom!. Each arena comes with its own traps, defenses, and special powers that make every Battle Arena unique. Battles can be played competitively or cooperatively in multiple player configurations including 2 vs 2, 3 vs 1, and individually against the system AI to create fun for the whole family.
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack provides a complete movie-based gameplay experience that is full of secrets and surprises. It includes six action-packed levels and new LEGO Gateway bricks to build atop the LEGO Toy Pad. Players can build the Newt Scamander LEGO minifigure and help him find his escaped magical creatures in New York City using a variety of spells, including and The pack will also come with the Niffler, which can be rebuilt into the Sinister Scorpion and Vicious Vulture. The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack will be the exclusive LEGO construction toy offering this holiday for the exciting expansion of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.
Fans of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world can also add the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Fun Pack with a Tina Goldstein LEGO minifigure to their LEGO Dimensions collection. She can cast to help solve puzzles and to keep her safe from enemies. Players in need of rescue can build the Swooping Evil which can be rebuilt into the Brutal Bloom and Crawling Creeper.
Additionally a Sonic the Hedgehog Level Pack is now available where players can join Sonic and his friends in an epic battle against Eggman and Chaos. Spin into action speeding through iconic locations including Green Hill, Emerald Coast, and Labyrinth to collect all the Chaos Emeralds. Players can have the Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO minifigure use his Acrobat ability to swing off poles and avoid the Badniks, then use his famous grind rails move to make a quick escape. The pack also includes a 3-in-1 Sonic Speedster which can be rebuilt into Blue Typhoon and Motobug, and a 3-in-1 The Tornado which can be rebuilt into Crabmeat and Eggcatcher.
The Gremlins Team Pack includes popular rivals Gizmo and Stripe LEGO minifigures. Each will unlock the Adventure World, where players can explore the Cinema, Clamp Industries, the High School, and so much more. Gizmo’s Combat Roll and Dash Attack abilities can be used to get him out of sticky situations and Stripe uses his claws with his Vine Cut ability. Players can rebuild the 3-in-1 R.C. Racer vehicle into the Gadget-o-matic and Scarlet Scorpion and the 3-in-1 Flash ‘n’ Finish into a Rampage Record Player and Stripe's Throne.
Phone home with the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack! It includes an E.T. LEGO minifigure with Illumination and Fix-It abilities, as well as special Stealth and Telekinesis skills to make his way around the LEGO multiverse. Players can build E.T.’s iconic Phone Home device, then rebuild it into the Mobile Uplink and Super-Charged Satellite for additional in-game abilities. With the corresponding Adventure World, players can build new
experiences at Elliot’s house and in the suburbs, throughout the park
and the forest, on the BMX trail, and even in E.T.’s spaceship.
An additional Adventure Time Fun Pack is being added to LEGO Dimensions in this new wave of expansion packs as well featuring a Marceline the Vampire Queen LEGO minifigure. Players can activate her Sonar Smash and Bolt Deflector abilities using the Marceline Axe Guitar to solve puzzles and battle enemies. They can also build and use Marceline’s Lunatic Amp to make some noise, and then rebuild it into the Shadow Scorpion and Heavy Metal Monster for extra in-game powers. This fun pack is being released as a Toys R Us exclusive in North America.
These additions are the seventh wave of expansion pack to enhance the game play experience since the video game was introduced. LEGO Dimensions can be played on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and the Wii U system. For more information, please visit lego.com/en-us/dimensions
Supergirl, the newest addition to the LEGO Dimensions video game, recently took a few moments out of her busy schedule of battling dastardly villains to introduce another friendly alien who will be joining her within the LEGO Dimensions Multiverse soon -- E.T.!!! Check out this great introduction video featuring Supergirl and E.T. along with a special appearance by another do-gooding alien friend:
The E.T. -- The Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack coming out later this fall
includes an E.T. LEGO minifigure with Illumination and Fix-It
abilities, as well as special Stealth and Telekinesis skills to make his
way around the LEGO multiverse. Players can also build E.T.’s iconic Phone
Home device, then rebuild it into a Mobile Uplink or Super-Charged Satellite for additional in-game abilities.
Supergirl will be available this fall for a limited time within LEGO Dimensions Starter Packs for Sony
PlayStation 4 computer entertainment systems as an exclusive,
bonus playable LEGO minifigure within the video game. The Supergirl LEGO minifigure will have a number of extraordinary
in-game abilities to help solve puzzles and battle enemies, including
Super Strength, Flying, X-Ray Vision, and Beam Attacks which enable her
to shoot heat beams out of her eyes. She can also transform into
Supergirl Red Lantern with additional abilities such as firing powerful
Red Lantern energy bolts and energy beams from her Red Lantern Ring.
If you aren't able to obtain the Supergirl minifigure through this
limited edition PS4 Starter Pack, the character will also become
available in the near future as a "Hire-a-Hero" option for all
consoles. This is a feature in LEGO Dimensions that allows
players to sample characters using studs collected in the game. Players
can select the hologram minifigure near certain hint stones to unlock
characters for a limited time to try out their special abilities to
solve problems and complete puzzles.
Also keep an eye out for additional expansion packs coming to LEGO Dimensions just in time for the holiday shopping season which will include Sonic the Hedgehog, Gremlins, and characters from the upcoming Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In addition to providing some new great characters and special abilities to the LEGO Dimensions multiverse all of these new expansion packs will include golden Toy Tags
which unlock special, all new Battle Arenas. These Battle Arenas will
offer first-to-LEGO video games competitive split-screen gameplay for up
to four players at once! Each will have four gameplay modes and come with its
own traps, special powers and interactive environments that make every
Battle Arena unique.
LEGO Dimensions is developed by TT Games and published by Warner
Bros. Interactive Entertainment. For more information about the video
game, visit lego.com/en-us/dimensions
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has announced several new expansion packs for its popular LEGO Dimensions video game will be arriving at stores on November 18, 2016 just in time for the holiday shopping season. For those of you who already own the LEGO Dimensions starter pack you'll be pleased to know that no updated master game software or new toy pad hardware will be needed to incorporate these expansion packs into your existing game play. When you purchase the new expansion packs you'll find your new characters, accessories, and environments are fully compatible to mix-and-match with all those previously released for use within the LEGO Dimensions which utilizes LEGO toys to create a hybrid video game experience.
The upcoming expansion packs will introduce my son's favorite video game character, Sonic The Hedgehog, to LEGO Dimensions. Characters from two iconic movies of my youth, E.T. and Gremlins, will also be joining the LEGO Dimensions cast of characters. For those of you looking forward to the upcoming Harry Potter prequel Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them you'll be excited that LEGO Dimensions will be incorporating elements of the movie into the video game as well. Plus all of these new expansion packs will include golden Toy Tags which unlock special, all new Battle Arenas. These Battle Arenas will offer first-to-LEGO video games competitive split-screen gameplay for up to four players. Each will have four gameplay modes and come with its own traps, special powers and interactive environments that make every Battle Arena unique.
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Story Pack will be the largest of the new expansion packs providing a complete movie-based gameplay experience with 6 levels and comes with new LEGO Gateway bricks to build the Magical Congress of the United States of America on top of the LEGO toy pad. Players can build a Newt Scamander LEGO minifigure and help him find his escaped magical creatures in New York City and use a variety of spells, including Diffindo, Reparo, and Lumos. The pack will also come with a 3-in-1 Niffler which can be rebuilt into two other creatures from the movie, the Sinister Scorpion and Vicious Vulture. A Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Fun Pack will also be available which will include a Tina Goldstein LEGO minifigure and a 3-in-1 Swooping Evil which can also be rebuilt into the Brutal Bloom and Crawling Creeper creatures from the movie.
The Sonic the Hedgehog Level Pack will allow players to race as the Blue Blur at lightening speeds through favorite locations from his previous SEGA video games including Green Hill, Emerald Coast, and Labyrinth. The pack will include a Sonic the Hedgehog LEGO minifigure, a 3-in-1 Sonic Speedster, which can be rebuilt into the Blue Typhoon or Motobug, and a 3-in-1 The Tornado, which can also be rebuilt into Crabmeat or Eggcatcher.
The Gremlins Team Pack includes LEGO minifigures of Gizmo and Stripe. Gizmo's Combat Roll and Dash Attack abilities can be used to get him out of sticky situations and Stripe uses his claws and his Vine Cut ability. Players can also rebuild the included 3-in-1 R.C. Racer vehicle into the Gadget-o-matic or Scarlet Scorpion and the 3-in-1 Flash 'n' Finish into a Rampage Record Player and Stripe's Throne.
Phone home with the E.T.: Extra-Terrestrial Fun Pack that includes an E.T. LEGO minifigure with Illumination and Fix-It abilities, as well as special Stealth and Telekinesis skills that can be used throughout the LEGO Dimensions multiverse. Players can also build E.T.'s iconic Phone Home device, then rebuild it into the Mobile Uplink and Super-Charged Satellite for additional in-game abilities.
These all look to be great additions to the LEGO Dimensions video game! Which one is your favorite? LEGO Dimensions is now available for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3 computer entertainment systems, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii U.
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.
When I got home from work the other day my phone started acting up showing these weird images and what looked like maps. So I stepped out on the front porch to try getting better reception and that is when things really started to get weird...this little creature appeared on my screen and appeared to be trying to communicate with me. I called out to my 5 year old twins to come out and take a look at this!
The images appearing on my phone seemed to be a map leading towards the neighborhood park down the street from our house. The kids and I decided to take a stroll over to the park to check things out. When we arrived the little creature popped back up on the screen and through a series of beeps, clicks and whistles urged us towards the park's playscape.
I encouraged my kids to go investigate. They cautiously crept up the stairs to the playscape's upper level. Then I heard a shout out from up top - hey Dad there's something up here!
We found two little creatures hiding in the playscape. My daughter laughed out "those look like the alien from the movie Echo" and asked if they could take them home. Yes, we can adopt them I replied.
My kids ran around the park showing their echos how earth children play. They swung on the swings, slid down the slides, and chased each other in a game of tag.
Then we flew home for dinner where my kids shared with our new adopted family members their favorite meal - spaghetti & meatballs.
Thank you to Fox Home Entertainment for providing my kids with these great Echo plush toys. Over the last few days these echos have watched my daughter's ballet practice, cheered on my son at his soccer game, enjoyed dinner at a restaurant, observed my carving a toothless Halloween pumpkin, and cuddled up on the couch with my kids to watch a few movies. Speaking of movies, we received these toys as part of Fox Home Entertainment's promotion of the Blu-ray, DVD, Digital Download release of "Earth to Echo."
EARTH TO ECHO is a tale told through the eyes of Tuck, Munch and Alex, a
trio of pals who make an out-of-this world discovery. The best friends
venture out of their neighborhood to find the true meaning of
friendship. After receiving signals on their phones, they meet Echo, a
small but amazing energetic alien trying to make his way back to his
home planet. As they race to help their new friend, the boys will
discover that little Echo has touched their hearts in unexpected ways
and changed their lives forever.
If you would like to create your own echo adventure on your smart phone I downloaded a FREE app off of iTunes. Just open the app and point your phone's camera at the DVD's cover artwork and the special effects will automatically appear on your screen. CLICK HERE to download the "Earth to Echo" augmented reality app. Through a little creativity, acting and this app, I really was able to prank my kids and provide them with a special treat.
DISCLAIMER: A Geek Daddy Blog did not receive any
financial compensation for this post but is a member of the Fox Home Entertainment
Insiders Blogger program which provides this site with free movies for
reviews and giveaways, and occasional other perks like these Earth to Echo toys, in exchange for promotional opportunities with our
audience.
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