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Entertainment

{Giveaway} “Minions” Available on Digital HD 11/24 & DVD/Blu-ray and On Demand 12/8! Enter to Win A Copy! #Minions

October 20, 2015 / Entertainment, Movies

In case you missed them in theaters, the Minions have their own movie! Minions will be available on Digital HD November 24 and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD and On Demand on December 8 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. A much anticipated prequel to the unprecedented worldwide blockbusters Despicable Me and the beloved sequel Despicable Me 2, Minions is an extremely entertaining and hilarious film for all audiences!

Watch the trailer here:

Here’s a synopsis of the film:
Since the dawn of time, Minions have served (and accidentally eliminated) history’s most despicable villains. After their latest explosive mistake leaves them without an evil leader, the Minions fall into a deep depression. With the tribe on the brink of collapse, three unlikely heroes–Kevin, Stuart, and Bob—embark on a journey to find a new big boss. When their quest leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock), our three heroes must face their biggest challenge yet: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation!

The Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and Digital HD also come with three all-new mini-movies which means even more Minions! Everyone will want to watch again and again especially during the busy holiday season. Minions will be available on Blu-ray™ with DIGITAL HD and UltraViolet™ and the DVD

Blu-ray™ will unleash the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home and will feature 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theater-quality surround sound.
DVD offers the flexibility and convenience of playing movies in more places, both at home and away.
DIGITAL HD with UltraViolet™ lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

BONUS FEATURES EXCLUSIVE TO BLU-RAY^TMAND DIGITAL HD:

THREE ALL NEW ORIGINAL MINI-MOVIES:
- Cro Minion
- Competition
- Binky Nelson Unpacified
DELETED SCENE – ME, MYSELF AND STUART
AROUND THE WORLD INTERACTIVE MAP – Explore the world of the Minions with this interactive map featuring a collection of games, trivia, featurettes, storyboards, and more all themed to movie locations.
BEHIND THE GOGGLES – THE ILLUMINATION STORY OF THE MINIONS – Get a “behind the googles” look at the history and evolution of everyone’s favorite yellow henchmen.
- WRITER – See how the Minions evolve throughout the different time periods. Writer, Brian Lynch discusses creating distinctive personalities for the three main Minions, his VillainCon idea, and the Minion family.
- BOSS’ OFFICE – Illumination Entertainment CEO and founder and Minions producer, Chris Meledandri discusses the origins of Illumination Entertainment and the genesis of both Despicable Me and the Minions.
- ART DEPARTMENT – See how the Minions came to life, from the original art concept of the henchmen to the final creation of the Minions and how to differentiate them between new time periods. Also, see how the idea of Herb and Scarlett Overkill’s characters came to be.
- GALLERY – CONCEPT ART (stills)
- GALLERY – COLOR SCRIPT (stills)
- COMPOSER – Listen to how composer Heitor Pereira creates the sound of the Minions and what it takes to create big music for small characters.
- ACTORS STUDIO – Listen to the actors’ experiences being part of the Minions movie, who their favorite Minionsare, and why they love them so much
- NOTICE BOARD (stills)
- SAFETY VIDEO

ILLUMINATION MACGUFF ANIMATION
- ANIMATION – Go behind the scenes and hear about the challenges and excitement behind the Minion characters and bringing them alive through animation in the movie

LIGHTING, LAYOUT AND EFFECTS – A look at the ways in which layout and lighting plays a big role in the emotion and motivation in the movie. Also see the ways in which they try to keep the 60’s vintage look and the challenges they face with very technical shots, where one shot can take weeks.

3D MODELS GALLERY (stills)
DIRECTORS – Directors Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda discuss the unique challenges of creating distinctive personalities for the Minions
PRODUCERS – Producers Chris Meledandri, Janet Healy and Executive Producer Chris Renaud discuss the three main characters – Kevin, Stuart, and Bob – little family in the movie and the goal of creating a special bond between them and the audience when they leave the theater.
EDITORIAL – Editor Claire Dodgson discusses the distinctive editing style of the Despicable Me franchise and the three-year process it takes to make these movies from the original storyboards to cutting scenes with Miniondialogue.
STORYBOARD ARTIST – Learn how the actions of the words of the script turn into visual drawings and how much work is put in from the rough sketches to the final cut of the movie.
GALLERY – STUART HOT TUB STORYBOARD (stills)

JINGLE BELLS MINION STYLE – This holiday favorite is brought to life in a merry-Minion way. Now you get to sing along to the beloved video that was the most shared piece of content on Facebook in 2014.
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS THEATRICAL TRAILER

DVD BONUS FEATURES

DELETED SCENE – ME, MYSELF AND STUART

JINGLE BELLS MINION STYLE – This holiday favorite is brought to life in a merry-Minion way. Now you get to sing along to the beloved video that was the most shared piece of content on Facebook in 2014.

THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS THEATRICAL TRAILER

I’m also hosting a giveaway for one of my lucky readers to win their own copy of “Minions” on DVD! Ener below in the rafflecopter! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find Minions on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

This is not a sponsored post. Some images property of Universal Pictures/Illumination Entertainment. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

GOOSEBUMPS Scholastic Educational Program – Unlock the Adventure! Download FREE Activities! #GOOSEBUMPS

October 12, 2015 / Entertainment, Movies

GOOSEBUMPS fans of all ages are getting excited in anticipation of the film’s release in theaters October 16! I loved reading the GOOSEBUMPS books and now my own daughter does too!

If you haven’t watched the official GOOSEBUMPS trailer yet, here it is:

Here’s a synopsis of the film:

Upset about moving from a big city to a small town, teenager Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) finds a silver lining when he meets the beautiful girl, Hannah (Odeya Rush), living right next door, and makes a quick friend in Champ (Ryan Lee). But every silver lining has a cloud, and Zach’s comes when he learns that Hannah’s mysterious dad is in fact R.L. Stine (Jack Black), the author of the bestselling Goosebumps series. As Zach starts learning about the strange family next door, he soon discovers that Stine holds a dangerous secret: the creatures that his stories made famous are real, and Stine protects his readers by keeping them locked up in their books. When Stine’s creations are unintentionally released from their manuscripts, Zach’s life takes a turn for the weird. In a crazy night of adventure, it’s up to Zach, Hannah, Champ, and Stine to team up and get all of these figments of Stine’s imagination – including Slappy the Dummy, the girl with the haunted mask, the gnomes and many more – back in the books where they belong to save the town.

There’s also a GOOSEBUMPS Scholastic Educational Program where you can download creepy classroom activities, writing programs, a digital flipbook, monster masks and many other activities. How cool is that? It’s a great resource for parents AND teachers! To learn more about the activities, click here.

With GOOSEBUMPS coming to theaters October 16th what are YOU most anticipating in the film? Are you ready to see the GOOSEBUMPS stories come to life on the big screen? I know I am!

Don’t forget to find GOOSEBUMPS on Facebook and Twitter!

{Giveaway} 5th Annual EEK! At The Greek! Presented By Children’s Hospital Los Angeles! 10/24 at The Greek Theatre, L.A.!

October 9, 2015 / Entertainment, Greek Theatre

The 5th annual EEK! At The Greek! event will take place this year on Saturday, October 24 at the Greek Theatre,
LA. Presented by Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, this family-friendly event will, once again, feature the 60-piece Symphony In The Glen with Maestro Arthur B. Rubinstein and will present a creepy collection of frightening favorites.

EEK! At The Greek! will also feature a “Trick-or-Treat Village“, in the Greek’s plaza welcoming families to bring their children for safe trick-or-treating and Halloween activities from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM, including:

arts & crafts
face painting
a costume contest

The costume contest will begin at 4:30 PM in the front plaza, with the finale taking place during intermission on The Greek Theatre’s main stage which will b emceed by the popular Doug Kolk, entertainment reporter for KTLA, and self-proclaimed “concert-going fool,” who reports on all the amazing live music venues throughout Los Angeles.

The Main Stage performance begins at 7:00 PM. This year’s musical program includes Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” “Ghost Riders in The Sky” with the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, the premiere live-to-film performance of the classic Disney cartoon “Hell’s Bells,” John Williams’s “The Devil’s Dance” from The Witches of Eastwick and actor, Armin Shimerman (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) narrating Edgar Allen Poe’s Gothic masterpiece, “The Tell-Tale Heart.”

As you can see, EEK! At the Greek! is a wonderful event that you should take your entire family to. For many Southern California families, it’s become an annual Fall tradition. Tickets for the event are on sale now and available at GreekTheatreLA.com and AXS.com. All dates, acts and ticket prices subject to change without notice. A service charge is added to each ticket price.

I’m also giving away a family 4-pack of tickets to EEK! at the Greek! You can enter to win below on the Rafflecopter. Don’t forget to read the instructions carefully. Good luck everyone! Happy Fall!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Symphony In The Glen is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization with the mission of cultivating new generations of classical music lovers. The orchestra comprises professional musicians whose talents and skills grace the premier orchestras of Los Angeles.

This is not a sponsored post. I was provided with information in order to facilitate this post. Images and logos property of EEK! at the Greek! and The Greek Theatre, L.A. All opinions are 100% my own.

{Giveaway} “Dear Sofia – A Royal Collection” Now Available on Disney DVD! FREE Printable Activities, Too!

September 29, 2015 / Disney DVDs, Movies

Now out on Disney DVD! Join Sofia as she receives guidance from Disney Princesses and goes on a daring adventure with Mulan in the Kingdom of Wei Ling, soars through the skies with Jasmine on a magic carpet ride, and discovers important lessons about friendship and life’s true gifts from Belle and Tiana. Packed with endless fun, music and heart – plus two additional episodes – “Dear Sofia: A Royal Collection” is a not-to-be-missed celebration highlighting the qualities that make a true princess – honesty, loyalty, compassion and grace.

“Dear Sofia: A Royal Collection” includes 6 adventure-filled episodes, plus a FREE Sofia-themed stationary set for kids to write a hand-written letter to Sofia. Each child who submits a letter will receive a response back from Sofia in the mail. I also have a special activity for you! Just click on the image below, print out and have some fun!

I’m also giving away a copy of this DVD to one lucky reader. Enter below on the Rafflecopter! Good luck everyone!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was provided with a copy of this DVD in order to facilitate this post. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

{Giveaway} VeggieTales Live! Coming to the City National Grove of Anaheim on Friday, October 23!

September 26, 2015 / City National Grove of Anaheim, Concerts, Entertainment

Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber and all of their Veggie friends are coming to the City National Grove of Anaheim on Friday, October 23, in the all new fresh, funny, and unforgettable VeggieTales Live! Little Kids Do Big Things tour.

VeggieTales Live! Little Kids Do Big Things is a must-see, fun filled celebration for families and VeggieTales fans of all ages. Join the VeggieTales crew in a musical review that celebrates that with help and faith, even little kids can do big things too! This all new production features live performances of Veggie silly song favorites like The Hairbrush Song and I Love My Lips as well as songs that inspire like Big Things Too. Children will be thrilled to see their favorite Veggie friends live on stage performing in a rollicking musical review of VeggieTales greatest hits. This high-energy show is sure to delight children and families of all ages.

VeggieTales is the best selling brand that delivers stories and songs kids love and values parents appreciate. It is the go to brand for families for wholesome quality entertainment that promotes values and lessons kids use for a lifetime such as telling the truth, sharing and forgiveness.

Tickets to VeggieTales Live! Little Kids Do Big Things tour can be purchased at ticketmaster.com or at The City National Grove of Anaheim theater box office. A limited number of VIP tickets are available, which include premium seating and a special meet and greet with your favorite VeggieTales characters!

For the most up to date tour itinerary & additional ticket and tour info, please click here.

I’m also hosting a giveaway. The City National Grove of Anaheim is providing one family 4-pack of tickets to the VeggieTales Live show on October 23, 2105 at 6:30 p.m for one of my lucky readers! To enter my giveaway, just follow the directions on the Rafflecopter below. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Connect with The City National Grove of Anaheim on Facebook and Twitter.

This is not a sponsored post. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own. VeggieTales images property of VeggieTales.

Yummy Mummy Dogs That Kids Will LOVE: Hotel Transylvania 2 Style! #HotelT2

September 21, 2015 / Entertainment, Food, Movies, Recipes

We LOVED Hotel Transylvania and all of the fun characters and monsters in it and are so excited about the upcoming release of Hotel Transylvania 2 in theaters on September 25! If you haven’t seen the trailer yet, watch this:

“The Drac Pac” is made up of an all-star cast, including Adam Sandler (Dracula), Selena Gomez (Mavis), Steve Buscemi (Wayne), Kevin James (Frank), Andy Samberg (Johnny), and many more! I just know it’s going to be a hilarious film the entire family will enjoy seeing together.

The Drac pack is back for an all-new monster comedy adventure in Sony Pictures Animation’s Hotel Transylvania 2! Everything seems to be changing for the better at HotelTransylvania… Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire.

So while Mavis is busy visiting her human in-laws with Johnny – and in for a major cultural shock of her own – “Vampa” Drac enlists his friends Frank, Murray, Wayne and Griffin to put Dennis through a “monster-in-training” boot camp. But little do they know that Drac’s grumpy and very old, old, old school dad Vlad is about to pay a family visit to the hotel. And when Vlad finds out that his great-grandson is not a pure blood – and humans are now welcome at Hotel Transylvania – things are going to get batty!

La sinopsis en Español:

¡Drácula y su grupo de amigos están de regreso para una nueva comedia de aventuras monstruosas en la película de Sony Pictures Animation Hotel Transylvania 2! Parece que todo está cambiando para mejor en el Hotel Transylvania… La estricta política de Drácula de admitir solo monstruos en el hotel finalmente se ha relajado y el hotel ahora abre sus puertas a huéspedes humanos. Pero detrás de los ataúdes cerrados, Drac está preocupado porque Dennis, su adorable nieto mitad humano, mitad vampiro, no demuestra ningún indicio de ser vampiro. Por esa razón, mientras Mavis está muy ocupada visitando a sus suegros humanos junto a Johnny –y enfrentando su propio gran shock cultural– el “abuelito vampiro” Drac recluta a sus amigos Frank, Murray, Wayne y Griffin para que Dennis asista a un “campamento de entrenamiento para monstruos”. Lo que no se imaginan es que Vlad, el gruñón y muy, muy, muy tradicional padre de Drac, está a punto de llegar al hotel para una visita familiar. Y cuando Vlad descubre que su bisnieto no es un vampiro de sangre pura y que, para colmo, ahora se aceptan humanos en el Hotel Transylvania, ¡las cosas se saldrán de control!

It’s hard to pick just one favorite character from the Drac Pac but we love Murray! He’s the mummy and we think he’s adorable. Murray was my inspiration the other day when I was trying to come up with a creative lunch. I’ll call this recipe “Murray Mummy Dogs”. It’s one of the easiest meals to throw together and is a guaranteed winner with kids every time! (I know this because I’ve made it twice this week!)

Here’s what you’ll need to make Murray Mummy Dogs:

1 pack of your favorite brand of hot dogs (I prefer to use all-beef)
1 container of ready-made crescent dough (you can find this in the refrigerated section)
ketchup

Preparing the Murray Mummy Dogs:

Preheat your oven ahead of time (per the temperature recommended on the crescent package)
Cover your baking sheet with a baking mat or parchment paper.
Cut hot dogs into halves.
Open crescent dough and slice into strips.
Take each halved hot dog and wrap pieces around and around to make it look like a mummy. I don’t make the layer too thick so it’ll bake all the way through.
When all hot dogs are wrapped, stick into your oven and bake for about 7 minutes. (keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.)
Remove Mummy Dogs from the oven and serve with ketchup! Depending on the age of your kids, you could even call the ketchup, “blood”. (We mostly stick to non-scary in our home.)

If you ending making these, come back and tell me how long they lasted on your dining table? My daughter ate them up in a flash!

So, are YOU excited to see Hotel Transylvania 2? Who’s YOUR favorite character in the Drac Back?

Find Hotel Transylvania 2 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Movie and promotional pictures featured in this post are property of Sony Pictures.

{Giveaway} Barbie “Rock N’ Royals” LIVE Show! Enter to Win a Gift Basket With Tickets to This Concert Experience!

September 3, 2015 / Entertainment, Movies, Music

Who’s ready to rock? Barbie is starring in an all-new movie, Barbie Rock ‘n Royals! In this upbeat musical, Barbie stars as Princess Courtney, a modern princess whose world is turned upside down when she switches places with Erika, a famous rock star. Two very different worlds collide when a mix-up sends Princess Courtney to Camp Pop and Erika to Camp Royalty. The Barbie in Rock ‘n Royals DVD will be available at retailers nationwide on 9/8 from Universal Home Entertainment. But that’s not all of the exciting Barbie news…..

Barbie fans in the Greater Los Angeles are invited to attend a LIVE concert on Saturday, September 26 at 12 p.m. at the Hollywood Palladium! The Barbie Rock ‘N Royals Concert Experience is going to be a rockin’ good time and Barbie fans will have the opportunity to “Raise Their Voice”! Enjoy a LIVE concert performance of songs from the movie including, “Raise Our Voices,” “What if I Shine,” and “Brand New Song” from surprise guests!

Guests in attendance will also get to:

Striking a pose on the Pink Carpet
Getting rock star ready in the Super Style Zone
Jamming out in the VH1 Rock Star Zone
Twisting and shaking in the Be Super Dance Zone

It’s going to be an event you won’t want to miss! For tickets to the Rock ‘N Royals Concert Experience, click here. All ticket sales will benefit VH1 Save The Music.

I’m also giving away a Barbie Rock ‘N Royals gift basket to one of my lucky readers! Look at what’s in it!

Barbie™ in Rock ‘n Royals: Courtney® doll
Barbie™ in Rock ‘n Royals: Erika™ doll
Barbie in Rock ‘n Royals DVD
Two tickets to the Barbie Rock ‘n Royals Concert Experience on Sept. 26, 2015 at 12 p.m.

If you’d like to enter to win this basket, do so below in the Rafflecopter. Don’t forget to read the directions carefully for each entry. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received promotional items in order to facilitate this post. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.

{Giveaway} Have Courage and Be Kind! #Cinderella Available on BLU-RAY™ Combo Pack, Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere on 9/15!

September 1, 2015 / Disney DVDs, Entertainment, Movies

Have courage and be kind! That was my favorite line from Disney’s “Cinderella”! Oh I bawled my head off at the beginning of this film when I saw it in the theater! It was just so beautifully made and this timeless classic was brought to life with imagination and a whole lot of magic! If you haven’t already seen this latest version of “Cinderella”, here’s a synopsis:
Despite being mistreated by her stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and stepsisters, a spirited Ella (Lily James) resolves to take charge of her fate. Add a royal ball, a Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham-Carter) and a glass slipper, and suddenly – magic becomes reality!

Here’s the trailer:

Cinderella will be released on Digital HD/SD*, Blu-ray Combo Pack & Disney Movies Anywhere on September 15! You can order your own copy here.

The BONUS features on the Digital HD/SD*, Blu-ray Combo Pack & Disney Movies Anywhere (DMA):

A Fairy Tale Comes to Life- Filmmakers and cast reflect on Cinderella’s enduring power, and the joys and challenges of bringing this iconic tale to life.
Costume Test Fun- See the work of Academy Award-winning® Costume Designer Sandy Powell (The Aviator, 2004) and share some lighthearted moments with the cast.
Staging The Ball- You’re invited behind the scenes for the making of the Palace Ball sequence, including its spectacular set, stunning costumes and more. It’s a lavish and massive undertaking…and a magical day on set.
Ella’s Furry Friends- Discover how the movie’s animal stars honed their memorable performances.
Alternate Opening: Ella’s Childhood- View moments from Ella’s idyllic childhood that do not appear in the movie. With an introduction by Director Kenneth Branagh.
Frozen Fever-It’s Anna’s birthday, and Elsa and Kristoff are determined to give her the best celebration ever – but when Elsa catches a cold, her powers may put more than just the party at risk.

The following are deleted scenes (with introduction by Kenneth Branagh) exclusive to the DMA:

Serving (0:56)
The Mourning (4:24)
Getting to Know You (2:00)
The Search for Cinderella (1:14)
Dear Kit (2:57)

DVD exclusives include these BONUS features:

Ella’s Furry Friends
Frozen Fever

You can order your own copy of Cinderella by clicking here. (pre-orders taken prior to September 15). I’m also having a giveaway that you can enter to win a copy of Cinderella. All you have to do is enter on the Rafflecopter below. Please read the instructions carefully. Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Visit Cinderella on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram!

All images and trailer property of Disney Movies. This is not a sponsored post.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Mickey’s Monster Musical Out on Disney DVD September 8!

August 16, 2015 / Disney DVDs, Movies

I get so excited whenever I see anything Halloween! How adorable are those Mickey bats? I’m totally ready for Halloween like NOW!

Well, look what’s arriving soon, just in time for Halloween! It’s Mickey’s Monster Musical and it’s releasing on Disney DVD on September 8! Join Mickey and All His Friends in Their Favorite Fun and Spooky Adventure! The DVD Includes nearly 2 hours of adventure PLUS An Exclusive Trick-Or-Treat Mini Tote!

Here’s a synopsis of the DVD:

Put on your favorite Halloween costume and get set for a spooktacular full-length adventure. Visit the creaky castle of kindly “Count Mickula” and help your Clubhouse pals solve a puzzling riddle: Who, or what, is making a curious clanging, banging noise? With the right Monster Mouseketools and help from YOU, this mystery will soon be history! Then, enjoy two more exciting episodes as you search for pirate treasure with Captain Mickey and don your dungarees for delightful fun down on the farm. Packed with singing, dancing, laughter and surprises, Mickey’s Monster Musical is a high-spirited treat that can’t be beat.

The DVD includes these episodes:

Mickey’s Monster Musical (Part 1 & 2)
Mickey’s Pirate Adventure (Part 1 &2)
Mickey’s Farm Fun Fair

So tell me, are YOU more excited for Halloween now? I know I am!

Disclosure: I was provided with a copy of the Mickey’s Monster Musical for my own review. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are 100% my own.