In Marvel Studios’ Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) – who now wields the shield of Captain America after events in the Disney+ streaming series “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” – meets with newly elected U.S. president Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) and soon finds himself in the middle of an international incident. In a race against time, Sam must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.
Rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) for intense sequences of violence and action, Captain America: Brave New World is now available to view on digital platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Movies Anywhere. It will also be available to add to home entertainment video libraries on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on May 13, 2025.
There will also be available, a Walmart exclusive pop-up Blu-ray that unfolds into a stunning 3D scene featuring Captain America facing off against Red Hulk. With intricate details like Sam’s spread wings, and iconic shield, the dynamic display creates a collectible showdown making it a must-have for Marvel fans.
The home video digital and physical media releases will also include the following featurettes as bonus content:
Deleted Scenes:
A Heartfelt Thanks – President Ross praises Agent Taylor for her actions.
The Mission – Sam Wilson tries to extract information out of Agent Taylor in the boxing ring.
Stick Around – President Ross extends an apology and an unexpected invitation to Isaiah.
Assuming the Mantle – Ever since his high-flying debut in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” audiences around the world have known that Sam Wilson was destined for great things. Join the cast and crew as they look at Sam's past, present, and potential future in the MCU.
Old Scores, New Scars – Brave New World finds Captain America locked in a battle of brains and brawn in the forms of The Leader, Red Hulk, and Sidewinder. From prosthetics to visual effects to stunt work, get the lowdown on these formidable foes and how they're brought to life.
Gag Reel – Enjoy some hilarious outtakes on set with the cast and crew of Captain America: Brave New World.
Audio Commentary – Listen to Director Julius Onah and Director of Photography Kramer Morgenthau talk about the film.
Upon his father's death, Tim Walker (Jack Wolfe) is granted admission to an exclusive Hogwarts-style boarding school in the Shout! Studios move The Magic Flute. This school though doesn't train its students to be magicians but rather musicians. The Mozart School, founded by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with a reputation for developing the most gifted opera singers in the world, has a stern curriculum and is intensely competitive; but is also enchanting place.
Tim has dreamed of attending his father's alma mater, Mozart All Boys Music School, but gets off to a rough start when his aspirations become a reality when a hostile headmaster (F. Murray Abraham) confronts the boy about the authenticity of his singing voice. To show that he belongs at Mozart, Tim decides to try out for the lead role in the student body's production of The Magic Flute, against the headmaster's objections.
While preparing for the role, magical spirits lead Tim to a mystical gateway in the school's library that transports him to a fantasyland where he lives out the story of The Magic Flute opera. Assuming the identity of Prince Tamino, Tim embarks on an adventure to save the Princess Pamina. The three child spirits that led Tim to the mystical gateway are the same that inspired Mozart during his composing of The Magic Flute and are featured in the opera. They lead Tim through adversity and give him the confidence to tackle the role of Prince Tamino in the school production when he returns to his normal reality.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was 35 years old when he began work on the opera The Magic Flute, based on a libretto by Emanuel Schikandeder, in the Spring of 1791. The opera debuted that Fall in Vienna and sadly was one of Mozart's last works as he passed away in December of that year. This movie shares the stories and songs from The Magic Flute with the feel of watching a Harry Potter or Percy Jackson film rather than sitting through an opera performance. This makes The Magic Flute more amicable for kids and teens to want to take in. My family enjoyed Shout! Studios The Magic Flute and it made for a nice movie night.
In an interesting bit of Mozart movie trivia, F. Murray Abraham, who played the antagonist Salieri in Milos Forman's film Amadeus (1984), is the headmaster of the Mozart boarding school in The Magic Flute. Abraham won the Oscar for Best Actor for his role as Salieri and Amadeus also won the Oscar for Best Picture.
Another tidbit of trivia is that many of the scenes in The Magic Flute were filmed in Salzburg, Austria, the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Some of the locations in The Magic Flute were also in the musical The Sound of Music (1965) with Julie Andrews. Look to see if you can spot The Sound of Music locations while watching The Magic Flute for some extra fun.
The Magic Flute is now available to view on Blu-ray, Digital and DVD. An educational and entertaining selection for a family movie night. The Magic Flute earns a Geek Daddy nod of approval for being an out of the ordinary movie that introduces the opera genre to wider audiences and was enjoyable to watch during our family movie night viewing it.
This post has affiliate links, which means this blog could earn advertising money if you buy something. This doesn't cost you anything extra, ageekdaddy.com just has to give you the heads up for legal reasons. Click away!
A new original coming of age science fiction adventure movie, CRATER, will be debuting May 12 on the Disney+ streaming service. Directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez, the sci-fi flick playing exclusively on Disney Plus stars Isaiah Russell-Bailey, Mckenna Grace, Billy Barratt, Orson Hong, Thomas Boyce and Scott Mescudi.
CRATER is the story of Caleb Channing (Russell-Bailey), who was raised on a lunar mining colony and is about to be permanently relocated to an idyllic faraway planet following the death of his father (Mescudi). But before leaving, to fulfill his dad’s last wish, he and his three best friends, Dylan (Barratt), Borney (Hong) and Marcus (Boyce), and a new arrival from Earth, Addison (Grace), hijack a rover for one final adventure on a journey to explore a mysterious crater.
Does CRATER sound like a show you'd like to stream for a family movie night?
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment provided ageekdaddy.com with a free Blu-ray of COPSHOP
Arriving on Blu-ray and DVD today is COPSHOP a shoot 'em up style thriller filled with shocking twists and turns that take audiences on an exciting journey with non-stop action and intense stunts from start to finish. Rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for strong/bloody violence and pervasive language, COPSHOP has been "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes. Directed by Joe Carnahan (A-Team), the movie stars Gerard Butler (Greenland; Angel Has Fallen) and Frank Grillo (The Grey; The Purge: Anarchy).
Screaming through the Neveda desert in a bullet-ridden Crown Vic, wily con artist Teddy Murretto (Grillo) hatches a desperate plan to hide out from lethal hitman Bob Viddick (Butler). Murretto sucker-punches rookie officer Valerie Young (Alexis Louder) to get himself arrested and locked up in a small-town police station. But jail can't protect him for long; Viddick schemes his own way into detention, biding his time in a nearby cell until he can complete his mission. When the arrival of a competing assassin (Toby Huss) ignites all-out mayhem, mounting threats force Viddick to get creative if he wants to finish the job and escape the explosive situation.
Buy COPSHOP utilizing a Geek Daddy affiliate link and this blog will receive a small commission at no additional expense to your purchase. Thanks for your support of ageekdaddy.com!
The Halloween season is here! I'm going to get into the spirit of one of my favorite times of the year by catching up on some scary flicks, mystery movies and comic book inspired films that I've been wanting to see and haven't gotten around to watching yet. Here are the movies that are on my 2021 Halloween checklist to view throughout the month of October:
THE MUMMY
Meant as the first film in a planned Dark Universe which would create a modern day cinematic franchise based upon Universal Studios classis monster movies THE MUMMY was critically panned and never gained traction with theater audiences. Yet this 2017-film had the star power of Tom Cruise and a blockbuster movie production and marketing budget of almost half a billion dollars. The movie actually made more than $400 million at the box office but based upon critics reception of the film and the studio taking a loss on the theatrical release, THE MUMMY has been deemed a rotten movie.
Despite that as a fan of Universal Monster movies who would have loved for a Dark Universe to have come to fruition, I'm going to check out THE MUMMY for myself during my month long marathon of watching movies for the Halloween season. THE MUMMY is rated PG-13 for partial nudity, action and scary images, suggestive content, and violence. It is a combination of the action adventure movies Tom Cruise is known for with the horror genre that has made Universal Monsters pop culture icons. I has a runtime of one hour and forty-seven minutes.
The Mummy Movie Synopsis:
Nick Morton is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.
OVERLORD
This 2018 action/horror movie is the opposite of The Mummy. It isn't full of star power, though it was produced by J.J. Abrams (Star Trek / Star Wars), but received praise from both critics and movie going audiences. From what I've heard about this movie it seems like a spook-tacular film to watch at Halloween time.
OVERLORD is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for disturbing images, brief sexual content, language, and strong bloody violence. Directed by Julius Avery, OVERLORD has a runtime of one hour and fifty minutes. It grossed around 22 million dollars from its release in North American theaters so lets see how it compares to THE MUMMY which took in ten times that much from the same theaters.
Overlord Movie Synopsis:
On the eve of D-Day, American paratroopers drop behind enemy lines to penetrate the walls of a fortified church and destroy a radio transmitter. As the soldiers approach their target, they soon begin to realize that there's more going on in the Nazi-occupied village than a simple military operation. Making their way to an underground lab, the outnumbered men stumble upon a sinister experiment that forces them into a vicious battle against an army of the undead.
I'd heard great things about A QUIET PLACE and before getting around to see the original film a sequel was released. So now I have two movies on my watchlist to check out. Fortunately they both were released on Blu-Ray as a combo pack so I have them both in hand to watch back to back as well as I have miraculously been able to avoid spoilers regarding both films. I'm geeked to be able to watch the two science fiction / horror flicks as part of my Halloween movie watching marathon.
A Quiet Place (2018) is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for terror and bloody imagery. A Quiet Place II is also rated PG-13 for terror/bloody disturbing imagery/violence. Both films have runtimes of approximately an hour and a half. Office fans will appreciate the films are directed by John Krasinski who also co-stars in the movies with his wife Emily Blunt. Krasinski has really made a name for himself in Hollywood expanding upon his Office resume with these two films and the Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan television series on Amazon Prime that he stars in which I thoroughly enjoyed binge watching.
A Quiet Place Movie Synopsis:
If they hear you, they hunt you. A family must live in silence to avoid mysterious creatures that hunt by sound. Knowing that even the slightest whisper or footstep can bring death, Evelyn and Lee are determined to find a way to protect their children while desperately searching for a way to fight back.
One of the best Batman stories ever published by DC Comics, BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN, has been adapted into a two-part animated story. This film adaption is split into two movies: Parts I & II which are now available on Blu-ray as direct to video DC Universe release from Warner Bros Animation that any fan of the Caped Crusader will absolutely want to add to their home entertainment library.
Note that Part I is rated PG-13 for smoking, language, bloody images and violence but Part II is actually rated R for bloody imagery and violence. These films show cartoons aren't just for children as they two movies are aimed for more mature audiences of teenagers and adults. Parents should be aware of the MPAA difference in ratings for BATMAN: THE LONG HALLOWEEN between Part I and Part II so you can make an educated decision on whether or not your should kids should watch this flick. Both Part I and Part II each have a runtime of approximately an hour and a half so that watching the entire movie will take around 3 hours.
Batman: The Long Halloween Movie Synopsis:
It's a dark time in Gotham City. Held hostage by the powerful Falcone crime family, the city is rife with crime and corruption. Adding to the chaos is the mysterious Holiday killer, who has been targeting the underworld and leaving a trail of terror... and body bags. Batman, Lieutenant Gordon and D.A. Harvey Dent race against the calendar as it advances toward the next ill-fated holiday. Based on the critically acclaimed graphic novel, Batman: The Long Halloween, Part One begins a twisted chain of events that will forever change the Dark Knight.
JOKER
Clowns were originally meant to be an amusing, funny and entertaining distraction for people at circuses and festivals; but to me they just are creepy. Especially, the crown king of crime and Batman's arch nemesis JOKER. Renowned character actor Joaquin Phoenix gives his artistic interpretation of the origin story for this classic comic book villain in this 2019 movie.
JOKER is rated R for disturbing behavior, sexual images, language and strong bloody violence. The movie has a 2 hour runtime. Directed by Todd Phillips the movie also features Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy, Brett Cullen and Shea Whigham. No joke ... this movie is supposed to be really good without an appearance by Batman in it. I haven't seen it yet so we'll see!
Joker Movie Synopsis:
Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.
Buy any of these featured movies through a Geek Daddy affiliate link in this post and this blogger will receive a small commission at no additional cost to your purchase. Commissions are reinvested into this blog to provide non-sponsored content to share with you. Thanks for your support of ageekdaddy.com!
So these are all the terror-ific movies I'm planning on watching for Halloween. Are you planning your own Halloween movie marathon? If so what spooky movies are do you plan on viewing during a movie night?
Thanks to Universal Pictures Home Entertainment we were able to enjoy THE SPACE BETWEEN US for a Family Movie Night a few days before its May 16, 2017 release on Blu-ray and DVD. The film is a lighthearted teenage romance flick set within a sci-fi movie which takes audiences on an out-of-this world journey. It provides a glimpse of the Earth from a human who is visiting the planet for the first time and has to make you wonder about how those of us living here take so much for granted when it comes to appreciating our world.
THE SPACE BETWEEN US is the story of sixteen year old Gardner Elliot who is the first human born on Mars, living his whole live with a team of scientists on the red planet. He's always longed to see Earth to seek out the father he's never known and to meet a girl named Tulsa who he has befriended through the Internet. He finally gets the chance to visit Earth and see Tulsa in person, but during his stay doctors discover Gardner's heart can't withstand Earth's atmosphere. Before being sent back to Mars, he and Tulsa slip away and embark on a cross-country adventure to take in experiencing the world around them and search for his father before time runs out.
This is an enjoyable movie to enjoy while lounging out on the couch eating a bowl of popcorn on a lazy weekend. Don't take it too seriously and appreciate it for being a cheesy romantic adventure and you'll have fun watching it. Rated PG-13 because of its romantic theme and foul language that includes damn, dick, ass and crap there really isn't anything too objectionable in the movie for parent to be overly concerned about their kids seeing. Younger viewers may not want to watch it because the boyfriend-girlfriend dynamic of the show may make them go "ew!" Embracing love is an overarching premise of the movie that viewers will either appreciate or mock at. Not to be lost in the romantic elements of the movie though is that THE SPACE BETWEEN US has a very important message within it. Appreciate the incredible beauty of the Earth!
Courtesy of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, A Geek Daddy is going to help one lucky person have their own family movie night enjoying THE SPACE BETWEEN US. We're giving away a Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD movie combo pack. Submit the entries below by
11:59 pm ET on May 15, 2017 for a chance to win. Must be a US resident
over 18 years old to participate.
a Rafflecopter giveaway THE SPACE BETWEEN US on Blu-ray and DVD contains a never-before-seen alternate ending plus a variety of bonus features. After watching the movie, check out the deleted scenes and a commentary by the film's director Peter Chelsom. Plus there is a "Love" featurette which provides an inside look, with the cast and filmmakers, at the movie's theme that love connects us all.
Disclaimer & Contest Rules: A Geek Daddy has not been
financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but
was provided the same items being provided as a prize for personal use.
The prize is provided by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment and A
Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be
a US resident over the age of 18 to participate. Entries limited to one
household and winner will be randomly selected from all eligible
entries. If you have already won this prize through another blog
participating in this promotion, your entry will be disqualified if that
prize has already been awarded by Universal Pictures Home
Entertainment. By participating in this promotion you waive any
liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. Winner is
subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery
of the prize. Must reply to notification email within 48 hours by
providing requested contact information or else the prize will be
forfeited and a new winner randomly selected. Universal Pictures Home
Entertainment will be responsible for shipping the prize to the selected
winner.
COMET TV will be honoring the achievements of special effects guru Ray Harryhausen (1920 - 2013) with a movie marathon featuring some of the classic movies that he worked on during his career. Harryhausen was a master at creating groundbreaking visual effects. He created a style of stop-motion animation called "dynamation" that in an era before computerized special effects provided the appearance that live actors were interacting directly with detailed models of aliens, monsters, and other amazing characters on the screen though both were filmed in separate sequences and combined into one scene when the movie was edited. George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Tim Burton, James Cameron and Guillermo Del Toro have all credited Harryhausen for having an inspiration on the movies they've made.
Harryhausen was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 1992 from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for his contributions in the advancement of special effects for the film industry. For more information about this acclaimed special effects artist, please visit www.rayharryhausen.com
Four of his classics will be shown by COMET TV on Sunday, May 7, 2017 during a movie marathon. Tune in to see The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958), The 3 Worlds of Gulliver (1960), Jason and The Argonauts (1963) and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973). You can watch COMET TV in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan via digital antenna on Channel 19-7. CLICK HERE to see if COMET TV is broadcasting in your area. If not, COMET TV can also be viewed for free by utilizing its app on Apple TV and Roku or watching its live website stream at CometTV.com.
These films will also be shown at differently scheduled times throughout the month following the movie marathon. Visit CometTV.com for more detailed scheduling information.
You are absolutely going to want to tune into COMET TV on December 30th or 31st as the free to view television network with a focus on science fiction and horror programming is giving its viewers the gift of FLASH GORDON to wrap up the year. This 1980 cult classic which has had a renewed interested since being featured in Mark Wahlberg's recent TEDDY movies will be airing exclusively at 8pm ET on Comet TV. Available as an over-air broadcast Digital HD channel in select markets and streamed online at CometTV.com so it is available to anyone across the United States who has Internet access,
COMET is a great viewing option for fans of the sci-fi and horror genres.
Other movies you can find only being broadcast on COMET TV in December include CRITTERS (1986), DELIRIOUS (1991), DONOVAN'S BRAIN (1953), TANK GIRL (1995), THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BANZAI (1984), THE BOY AND THE PIRATES (1960), TIMESTALKERS (1987) and TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT (1980).
In addition to movies, there are also some great television shows you can catch in December on COMET TV. The Stargate television franchise, some of my all time favorite TV shows, is returning to television with episodes of STARGATE ATLANTIS airing on weeknights twice per week. I'm really excited because STARGATE SG-1 and STARGATE UNIVERSE are also coming to COMET TV in 2017! You'll be able to see all three STARGATE series again on television soon.
Other shows airing in December on COMET TV to tune into include JOHNNY SOKKO AND HIS FLYING ROBOT, MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000, MEN INTO SPACE, JEREMIAH, OUTER LIMITS & WILD WORLD.
Visit CometTV.com
for a full listing of television shows and movies they'll be airing
throughout the month of December. Utilize the Zip Code search option to see if the channel is being broadcast over the airwaves in your neighborhood. The website also provides a handy hour-by-hour
guide of what is airing throughout each day and allows you to stream the channel if it is not being broadcast locally.
I've conjured up a great giveaway to enhance the excitement about the newest movie to delve into the wizarding world of J.K. Rowling. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will whisk fans of Harry Potter back to that magical realm when the movie arrives at theaters across the United States on November 18, 2016, and I've partnered with The Hopping Bloggers to craft a very special giveaway! It is valued at $70 and includes the following:
The year is 1926, and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident, were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.
Enter to win the Fantastic Beasts Prize Pack using the form below. GOOD LUCK!
There was a year of elementary school where I almost missed the bus every morning because I didn't to leave the house before seeing every minute of one of my favorite television shows ROBOTECH. This 85-episode animated television series produced by Harmony Gold was based upon Japanese anime and featured sci-fi battles where the Earth had to be defended from intergalactic adversaries. The TV series revolves around robotechnology which are scientific advances incorporated into Earth's technology based upon analyzing a crashed alien space ship that is discovered on a South Pacific island. The military utilizes this technology to create transformable mecha -- fighting vehicles that switch between being an fighter jet and a robotic warrior -- to repel three successive extraterrestrial invasions. As a kid, I was amazed by the mecha in this show and didn't want to miss any of the action!
Even though more than 30 years has gone by since I last saw an episode of ROBOTECH, I became very excited when learning of the news that Harmony Gold is partnering with Titan Comics to create a comic book series based upon the 1980s era anime sci-fi television show. Titan Comics which currently publishes a popular DOCTOR WHO series plus comic books based upon ASSASSINS CREED, BLACK LIST, DARK SOULS, INDEPENDENCE DAY, PENGUINS OF MADAGASCAR, and HISTORY CHANNEL'S VIKINGS has demonstrated a knack for transferring television shows, movies and video game stories into print. Titan Comics is still assembling the creative team of talent that will work on this series and the new ROBOTECH comic book series is planned to begin arriving on store shelves in 2017.
For those of you who haven't seen the original television series that the new comic book series is based upon, its entire 85-episodes can be viewed on Crackle Anime for FREE. Just click here to view the show.
During the 1980's, Hasbro entertained children and promoted the toy manufacturer's products through several popular television cartoon and comic book series. Paramount Pictures and Hasbro are going to try and bring back some of that magic from the 80's through the creation of an interconnected movie universe featuring popular toy brands from that era including G.I. JOE, M.A.S.K. (Mobile Armored Strike Kommand), Micronauts, ROM and the Visionaries. I grew up watching the cartoons and reading the comic books tied to these toy lines, so it was exciting news that filled me with nostalgia when Paramount Pictures and Hasbro announced they've created a writers room of top Hollywood talent who will be focused on making these films a reality.
This group includes Academy Award Winner Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind), who will be responsible for overseeing the writers room as well as serving as Executive Producer on all the films within this cinematic universe, along with Lindsey Beer (Wizard of Oz / Kingkiller Chronicle ), Pulitzer Prize Winner Michael Chabon (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay ), Cheo Coker (Luke Cage, Ray Donovan), Joe Robert Cole (Black Panther, People vs OJ ), Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain Marvel), Jeff Pinker (Lost, the Dark Tower), Nicole Riegel (Soldier Girls), Geneva Robertson (Atlantis, Tomb Raider) and Brian K Vaughan (Under the Dome, Lost). Allspark Pictures, Hasbro's film label, plans to produce the films based upon the cross-property universe. Hasbro also plans on bringing in an unprecedented number of top artists and designers to assist Goldsman and the writing team with visualizing this all-new cinematic universe. I love movie concept art so am especially looking forward to seeing what emerges from these artists as they help the writers script these films.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
Paramount and Hasbro's movie partnership has had mixed results since it began in 2007 with the release of the first TRANSFORMERS movie. That film franchise directed by Michael Bay has earned more than $3.8 billion to date and its movies are amongst the highest grossing movies of all time. Unfortunately, on the other hand the G.I. JOE movies the Hasbro / Paramount partnership created have squandered the popularity and goodwill that brand had developed with consumers. While the G.I. JOE movies have earned $675 million worldwide each has been lackluster. From someone who has such wonderful childhood memories of playing with G.I. JOE toys in my backyard, watching the cartoons every day after school and waiting in anticipation each month for a new issue of their comic book to arrive at the news stand, I just have to say it is a shame how immemorable the movies Paramount and Hasbro have produced for this franchise are. Hopefully this new cross-over cinematic universe will not only reboot G.I. JOE with a film that will wow people but also mimic Disney's efforts with Marvel creating something special through a series of movies that the adults who enjoyed these characters as kids can now share and enjoy with their own children.
G.I. JOE - RETALIATION (2013)
I am optimistic that these new films featuring G.I. JOE, Micronauts, M.A.S.K. and ROM will be exciting and enjoyable to watch because Hasbro and Paramount are investing the resources and talent to make them extraordinary. I wasn't into the Visionaries as a kid and they were a bit of a flop back then so not so sure how that is going to fit into the mix with these other franchises which seem a little easier to interconnect with each other but we'll give them the benefit of the doubt and hopefully will be positively surprised with the outcome. Hasbro and Paramount have made some incredible movies featuring the Transformers so we know with the right amount of effort and leadership they can do it again with this new cinematic universe. So I'll be eagerly keeping an eye out for news and information about how this project is progressing. Stay tuned for future updates from A Geek Daddy!
**A Geek Daddy has been financially compensated as a BLOGGER BASH Ambassador and affiliate links are included within this post. Opinions are my own**
As readers of A GEEK DADDY know, this blog is all about creating memorable and enjoyable experiences that I can engage in as a dad with my children and share with all of you. Posts with news about upcoming family friendly movies, stories of adventurous road trips to visit entertaining and educational destinations (such as amusement parks, museums, and zoos) and opinions on apps and video games are all part of the normal routine with this blog. Oh! ...and of course we can't forget the toy reviews can we?!
A GEEK DADDY has had some great toy review opportunities recently ranging from an AIR HOGS Batman V Superman official movie replica remote control batmobile to Hexbug's VEX Robotics Gear Racers to a WowWee MiPosaur interactive robotic dinosaur which were made possible through the contacts I established by attending last year's BLOGGER BASH conference in New York City. In addition to having a blast at the third annual BLOGGER BASH by attending an exclusive Blue Man Group performance, getting an advance opportunity to play the brand new Disney Infinity: Star Wars video game before it was released to the public, and attending a lunch with the talent providing the voices for The Peanuts Movie; my attendance at this event provided A GEEK DADDY with the connections to participate in some wonderful revenue generating sponsored campaigns, allowed my family the chance to review some incredible toys at no cost that my kids would otherwise not had the chance to play with, and let me share the fun with our readers by being able to host some great product giveaways that are a direct result of attending last year's event. We're just getting started though because in addition to attending again this year, I'm also going to be sharing my enthusiasm for the event as a BLOGGER BASH AMBASSADOR this year!
CLICK HERE to use my affiliate link to register for this year's BLOGGER BASH and use promotional code BBA2016 to save $30 off your registration fee.
If you are a digital influencer with an established blog you're going to want to join me on July 13 and 14 in New York City aboard the Majesty yacht, docked in Midtown Manhattan for BLOGGER BASH 2016. Don't worry about getting sea sick as the boat will be docked for the entire conference so attendees will be able to enjoy the view from the decks and be able to get on and off at their leisure. You won't want to get off though because BLOGGER BASH consists of multiple themed parties that serve as
networking opportunities between digital influencers and big-name toy, tech and household product brands that will keep your attention captured while you are there. My favorite of these is The Toy Insider’sSWEET SUITE, which allows digital influencers to
get hands-on with the hot new toys that will be coming out on the market for the upcoming holiday shopping season while feasting on deserts and drinks. SWEET SUITE is the highlight of BLOGGER BASH for me and if you write about toys on a blog shouldn't be missed.
Make sure not to linger too long in purchasing your tickets to BLOGGER BASH 2016 because there is a limited capacity for the Majesty and once it is reached the conference will be sold out. If you want to attend a digital influencer conference that doesn't have an intense focus on monetizing web sites, isn't hyper promoting a particular brand or crowded full of really clique groups than BLOGGER BASH is for you! I was completely surprised last year by just how friendly and welcoming everyone at this conference was during my experience and that is why I wanted to contribute to this year's event by becoming a BLOGGER BASH Ambassador. It is a laid back fun time where you learn about all sorts of cool stuff. Details on this year's agenda are still being finalized but the production team behind BLOGGER BASH has a goal of making each year's event better than the previous one which means 2016 should be AWESOME!
Grab your tickets now and remember to use promotional code BBA2016 to save $30 off your registration fees. Hope to see you there in July!
It seems like we're always wondering when the next kid friendly film will be arriving at theaters so we can go on a family outing to the theaters. Unfortunately when you have young children there aren't always a lot of options for movies that the whole family can go together to see without worrying about violence, sexual situations, and other mature themes being portrayed on the big screen in front of your little ones. So I've compiled a calendar of the more kid friendly motion pictures that will be playing at theaters in 2016 to keep track of when some of the best times throughout the year will be to consider a family trip to the movies.
NORM OF THE NORTH - January 15
A polar bear of many words, Norm’s greatest gripe is simple:
there is no room for tourists in the Arctic. But when a maniacal developer
threatens to build luxury condos in his own backyard, Norm does what all normal
polar bears would do…he heads to New York City to stop it. With a cast of
ragtag lemmings at his side, Norm takes on the big apple, big business and a
big identity crisis to save the day.
KUNG FU PANDA 3 - January 29
When Po's long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the
reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new
panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across
China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible—learn to
train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate
band of Kung Fu Pandas!
ZOOTOPIA - March 4
The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no
other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid
Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live
together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the
smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps
arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big,
tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the
opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking,
scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde, to solve the mystery.
THE LITTLE PRINCE - March 18
The story centers around a young girl who befriends an eccentric old neighbor. The elderly man shares with her his tale of being a pilot who crash-landed in the Sahara
desert and came across a little boy who says he is a prince fallen to Earth
from his home on an asteroid. As the pilot repaired his plane, the little prince
regales him with stories about his home and the foolish inhabitants of nearby
asteroids.
THE JUNGLE BOOK - April 15
The Jungle Book is an all-new live-action epic adventure
about Mowgli, a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of
wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome
tiger Shere Khan, who bears the scars of Man, promises to
eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever
known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by
panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera and the
free-spirited bear Baloo. Along the way, Mowgli
encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart,
including Kaa, a python whose seductive voice and
gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie, who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to
the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.
RATCHET & CLANK - April 29
Ratchet & Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes
as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every
planet in the Solana Galaxy. Ratchet is the last of his kind -- a foolhardy
"lombax" who has grown up alone on a backwater planet with no family
of his own. Clank is a pint-sized robot with more brains than brawn. When the
two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they
must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in
order to save the galaxy. Along the way, they will learn about heroism,
friendship, and the importance of discovering one's own identity.
ANGRY BIRDS - May 20
A feature-length movie based on the popular downloadable
game in which birds try to attack pigs who stole their eggs.
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS - May 27
In this sequel to Alice in Wonderland, Alice Kingsleigh has spent the past few years
following in her father’s footsteps and sailing the high seas. Upon her return
to London, she comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the
fantastical realm of Underland and her friends the White Rabbit,
Absolem, the Cheshire Cat and the Mad Hatter (played by Johnny Depp), who is not
himself. The Hatter has lost his Muchness, so Alice embarks on
a quest to borrow the Chronosphere, a metallic globe inside the chamber of the
Grand Clock which powers all time. Returning to the past, she comes across
friends – and enemies – at different points in their lives, and embarks on a
perilous race to save the Hatter before time runs out.
FINDING DORY - June 17
Finding Dory takes place about a year after the events that transpired in the Finding Nemo which won the 2003 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. Finding Dory addresses the one emotionally open-ended issue that remained from
the first movie: Where is Dory’s family, and will this overly-optimistic fish
with short-term memory loss ever be able to find them again? This movie's setting moves from the Australian backdrop of the first movie to to the California coastline in this one and features a that welcomes a host of
new characters, including a few who will prove to be a very important part of
Dory’s life.
BFG - July 1
The BFG, while a giant himself, is a Big
Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing
24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly
dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler and Fleshlumpeater on the other hand, are twice
as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the
BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle. Upon her arrival in Giant Country,
Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of
the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize
that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a
giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where
he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic
and mystery of dreams.
Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for
one another quickly grows. But Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted
the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more
bothersome. Sophie and the
BFG soon depart for London to see Queen Victoria and warn her
of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come
up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.
Adapted from Roald Dahl's 1982 novel, which was illustrated by Quentin
Blake this film marks Steven Spielberg’s first time directing a Disney-branded
movie.
SECRET LIFE OF PETS - July 8
Set in a Manhattan apartment building, after the two-legged
residents head for work and school, their pets gather to start their day, which
consists of hanging out, trading humiliating stories about their owners, and
helping each other work up adorable looks that will lead to more snacks. The
head hound is a quick-witted terrier rescue, whose
position at the epicenter of his master’s universe is suddenly threatened when
she comes home with Duke, a sloppy mongrel with no
polish. The two soon find themselves on the mean streets of New York, where
they meet the adorable white bunny Snowball. It turns
out that Snowball is the leader of an army of pets that were abandoned and are
determined to get back at humanity and every owner-loving pet. The dogs must
thwart this plot and make it back in time for dinner.
ICE AGE: COLLISION COURSE - July 22
Scrat’s epic pursuit of the elusive acorn catapults him into
the universe where he accidentally sets off a series of cosmic events that
transform and threaten the Ice Age World. To save themselves, Sid, Manny,
Diego, and the rest of the herd must leave their home and embark on a quest
full of comedy and adventure, traveling to exotic new lands and encountering a
host of colorful new characters.
KUBO & THE 2 STRINGS - August 19
Clever, kindhearted Kubo ekes out
a humble living, telling stories to the people of his seaside town including
Hosato, Hashi and Kamekichi. But his relatively quiet existence is shattered when he accidentally
summons a spirit from his past which storms down from the heavens to enforce an
age-old vendetta. Now on the run, Kubo joins forces with Monkey and Beetle,
and sets out on a thrilling quest to save his family and solve the mystery of
his fallen father, the greatest samurai warrior the world has ever known. With
the help of his shamisen - a magical musical instrument - Kubo must battle gods
and monsters, including the vengeful Moon King and the evil
twin Sisters to unlock the secret of his legacy, reunite his
family and fulfill his heroic destiny.
STORKS - September 23
Storks deliver babies…or at least they used to. Now they
deliver packages for global internet giant Cornerstore.com. Junior, the
company’s top delivery stork, is about to be promoted when he accidentally
activates the Baby Making Machine, producing an adorable and wholly
unauthorized baby girl. Desperate to deliver this bundle of trouble before the
boss gets wise, Junior and his friend Tulip, the only human on Stork Mountain,
race to make their first-ever baby drop – in a wild and revealing journey that
could make more than one family whole and restore the storks’ true mission in
the world.
TROLLS - November 4
Not much has been released about this animated movie yet except that it revolves around those creatures with the funky hair that old ladies keep as lucky charms while playing Bingo.
FANTASTIC BEASTS & WHERE TO FIND THEM - November 18
Set in New York roughly seven decades before Harry Potter’s
saga starts, Fantastic Beasts is based on the Hogwarts textbook of the same
name and follows the adventures of its author, Newt Scamander.
MOANA - November 23
In the ancient South Pacific world of Oceania, Moana, a born
navigator, sets sail in search of a fabled island. During her incredible
journey, she teams up with her hero, the legendary demi-god Maui, to traverse
the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous sea creatures,
breathtaking underworlds and ancient folklore.
SING - December 21
Matthew McConaughey voices "Buster Moon," a dapper
Koala who runs a once-great theater now fallen on hard times. Seeing the thing
he loves most in his life coming to ruin, Buster connives to restore the
theater’s fortunes by producing the world’s greatest singing competition.
The last few years the lineup of family friendly movies during the summer has really been ho-hum with most of the best films coming out during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holiday season. 2016 could reverse that trend with what appears will be some of the year's best Kids Movies being released in June and July. My wife is really excited about going to see Finding Dory, in fact probably more excited than my kids are, and the two movies my 7 year old twins appear to be most excited to go see, Secret Life of Pets and Ice Age: Collision Course are coming out in July. Just like when Frozen, we don't know much about Disney's big animated feature Moana in advance of its release. People went into Frozen not necessarily knowing much about what it was about and fell in love with it. Could Moana have the same Disney magic? If so than the holiday season could again overtake the summer as the blockbuster time of year for kids movies. Also keep an eye out for Sing which comes out at the end of the year from the studio that brought you the Despicable Me and Minions movies. Moana, Trolls, Fantastic Beasts and Sing could make for some great end of the year movie watching if these films all live up to studio expectations.
So what kids movie is your family most looking forward to seeing this year?
