Monsters University Review

I was able to attend an advanced screening of Monsters University with Scott and the kiddos this week. The previews have been playing, almost on loop, on Disney Channel, so the kiddos were pumped to say the least! Here's a little background on the movie, just in case you have not watched the preview a hundred or so times....

Ever since college-bound Mike Wazowski (voice of Billy Crystal) was a little monster, he has dreamed of becoming a Scarer—and he knows better than anyone that the best Scarers come from Monsters University (MU). But during his first semester at MU, Mike’s plans are derailed when he crosses paths with hotshot James P. Sullivan, “Sulley” (voice of John Goodman), a natural-born Scarer. The pair’s out-of-control competitive spirit gets them both kicked out of the University’s elite Scare Program. To make matters worse, they realize they will have to work together, along with an odd bunch of misfit monsters, if they ever hope to make things right.


Before I even get into my review, I want to point something out that bothered me. The movie has Mike and Sulley meeting in college, however, in the original Monsters Inc. Mike mentions that he has known Sulley since the 4th grade. Oops. I was hoping they would explain that, but alas, they did not.

The movie itself is adorable and reminded me of Old School quite a few times. I think I would have died if a character was named Blue (You're my boy, Blue!), I really would have. We were able to view the film in 3D and while the kids may not have worn their glasses the whole time, I thought it was fantastic. I love watching the animated films in 3D, it just seems to add something magical to them.

The bigger picture message of working together and friendship definitely rang true throughout the film. All in all the kids thought Monsters University was "funny" and "silly".  Scott and I also really enjoyed it, especially the bonus scene after the credits!



For more on Monsters University you can:

• “Like” MONSTERS UNIVERSITY on Facebook: http://facebook.com/PixarMonstersUniversity 
• "Follow" Disney/Pixar on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DisneyPixar 
• Visit the website: http://www.Disney.com/MonstersU

Let me know if you go on June 21st to see Monsters University! I'd love to hear what you thought!

The Avengers

I was able to see The Avengers last week and have literally been bursting at the seams since waiting to talk about it.  Now, I'm going to be honest, I haven't seen any of the other films, and actually I fell asleep when watching Captain America (Jenn, please don't hate me). I do blame that on comfy sweat pants and my couch though, because Chris Evans is crazy good looking.  Anyway, I had zero background information on any of the characters, except for what I've seen on The Super Hero Squad Show. Scott, on the other hand, is a Marvel geek and was beyond excited about seeing the movie. Scarlett Johansson walking around in a skin tight outfit was only icing on the cake. Quite frankly, I'm glad they threw him ScarJo because I know I had plenty of eye candy.

Here's what the studio is saying about the film:

Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson,Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, directed by Joss Whedon, from a story by Zak Penn and Joss Whedon with screenplay by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble May 4th, 2012.

The Avengers is crazy amazing and I have every intention of seeing it again in the theaters and rushing out to buy it the second it's on DVD. The special effects are unbelievable (but not overly CGI). Now, if you haven't seen the other movies (like me) you will not be lost at all. They do cover each member of The Avengers and explain a little bit about their background. I do wish they spent maybe more time on hunkalicious Jeremy Renner, but that's just me. I think they make up for that with Chris Evans being in his Captain America costume pretty much the entire film.

Scott said the movie had him so tense throughout because he was literally on the edge of his seat waiting for the next thing to happen. It is definitely action packed, and quite honestly extremely humorous. Seriously, Robert Downey Jr. is perfect in this movie and I found myself quoting him the entire ride home. 

If you know anything about Marvel movies, you know there are awesome cameos/references and you have to stay through the credits. I absolutely will not spoil all of that goodness for you.  

Are you planning on seeing The Avengers this weekend? Who is your favorite Avenger? 

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Over the weekend I was able to take my kiddos to see the new film, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. We saw a preview for it when we saw The Lorax, and I knew in that moment they would love this movie, I had no idea, however, just how much I would as well.

In The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Hugh Grant stars in his first animated role as the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain – a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side, and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award. It’s a quest that takes our heroes from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Along the way they battle a diabolical queen (Imelda Staunton) and team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist (David Tennant), but never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure!

My kids thought the movie was great and were ready to be pirates by the end of the film. My husband and I were wiping tears from our faces throughout most of the movie. I have to say, I do love when movies are funny for both kids and adults. Hugh Grant, whom I love, was perfectly cast as Pirate Captain. I will warn you though that the movie is rated PG, not G, and the word "ass" is used once. So keep that in mind if you go to see it.

The Pirates! Band of Misfits opens in theaters this Friday, April 27th.

We Bought A Zoo

No, we did not buy a zoo, but Scott and I did watch the movie We Bought a Zoo. The film is based on a novel which is actually based on a true story.

Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a Los Angeles newspaper columnist and adventure writer who, as a single father, faces the challenges of raising his two young children. Hoping that a fresh start and a new life will restore their family spirit, Mee quits his job and buys an old rural house outside the city with a unique bonus feature: a zoo named the Rosemoor Animal Park, where dozens of animals reside under the care of head zookeeper Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson) and her dedicated team. With no experience, limited time and a shoestring budget, Mee sets out with the support of his family and the local community to reopen the zoo. Now, Benjamin is no longer reporting an adventure story; he’s living it in his own backyard.

I didn't really know much about the film before watching it, and was pleasantly surprised. The film is really heartwarming and you almost instantly fall in love with Damon and his situation. While watching the film I Googled the actual Benjamin Mee and his story. The actual zoo, Dartmoor Zoological Park, is in the UK. The location was changed to LA and a few other details were changed, but for the most part it stays true to the story.

I think the most amazing aspect of this film is that it actually happened. If you look at the film that way it brings a whole new feeling to it. Knowing that there is a real Benjamin Mee that went through this entire process to create a fresh start for his family is nothing short of amazing.

All in all, I really enjoyed the film. We Bought a Zoo is available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Download. The Blu-ray is loaded with over 2½ hours of special features including 20 deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, four behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentary with Director Cameron Crowe, star J.B. Smoove (The Sitter, “Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and Editor Mark Livolsi, and more. The film also features an English Family Friendly Audio Track that earned the Dove Seal of Approval. The Blu-ray and DVD will be available for an average retail price of $24.99 and $19.99 respectively.

Disclosure: I received a promotional copy of the film for review from Twentieth Century Fox. This is no way shaped my opinion, and the views expressed are my own.

The Descendants

I was lucky enough to get a copy of The Descendants on DVD before it was released today. Scott and I hadn't been able to make it to the theater to see this movie, and we were really looking forward to seeing it.

All I really knew about this film was that super hunky George Clooney and Shailene Woodley were in it, and that it was set in Hawaii. Here's what the movie is about:

Based on the best-selling novel by Kaui Hart Hemmings and set in Hawaii, THE DESCENDANTS is a sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic journey for Matt King (George Clooney) an indifferent husband and father of two girls, who is forced to re-examine his past and embrace his future when his wife suffers a boating accident off of Waikiki. The event leads to a rapprochement with his young daughters while Matt wrestles with a decision to sell the family’s land handed down from Hawaiian royalty and missionaries.

This by no means is a heart warming film about family love. It has its light moments, but it's dark and quite honestly, real. It shows the emotions that Matt King goes through as he realizes he knows absolutely nothing about his family. It's not hard to believe that the sequence of events could actually happen to someone in their everyday life. I really want to read the book now to see if there is more in there (which I'm sure there is).

The Descendants is out today on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Blu-Ray-DVD Combo.

Disclosure: I received a copy of The Descendants from 20th Century Fox for the purpose of review. This in no way shaped my opinion of the movie. The thoughts expressed above are my own.

The Help Review

Based on one of the most talked about books in years and a #1 New York Times best-selling phenomenon, “The Help” stars Emma Stone (“Easy A”) as Skeeter, Academy Award®–nominated Viola Davis (“Doubt”) as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny—three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed—even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times.

I was able to finish the book prior to seeing the film, and whether you read it before or after you should definitely read it. The film stays pretty true to the book, but obviously there are certain things left out, nothing critical to the plot though. The whole book/film intrigued me from the beginning because my husband, Scott, is from Jackson and his Mom lived there during the time the book is set. Scott came with me to the film and after it was over the first thing he said to me was, "Yup, that's Jackson." He said when he grew thing weren't nearly as bad as when the film was set, but that nothing surprised him. Growing up he, himself, had a maid named Hattie Mae, who was treated like a member of the family (similar to when Minny was with Celia in the film). Hattie Mae was the one who potty trained him and helped look after him when he was growing up.

The group that screened the film with us was amazing. I sat with a lot of the press, but all around us were families who had family members in similar situations during this time frame. I was glad the audience was like this because it added to the film and I cannot wait to read some of their interviews that they gave to our local film critic.

The film itself is powerful, and thankfully has plenty of light moments to take off some of the weight of the film. Allison Janney is amazing as always, Emma Stone was a pleasant surprise as Skeeter, and hands down Bryce Dallas Howard and Octavia Spencer stole the show. The back and forth between Howard and Spencer is priceless and handled spectacularly.

The film opens nationwide on Wednesday and I truly hope you are able to see it (make sure you bring tissues). I can't wait to see your reactions and thoughts to the film! For those of you that attended BlogHer over the weekend and saw the film, what did you think?

Thank you again to the wonderful people at Disney Studios and Moroch for allowing me to get a sneak peek at the film!

Winne the Pooh Review!

Winnie the Pooh is one of the most timeless literary/animated characters of all time. I grew up watching The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh and have since passed it on to my children, so when we saw they preview for this film my kids were literally besides themselves. Jill for one has been talking about this movie nonstop since she saw the first preview.

The film itself is inspired by three stories from A.A. Milne’s books in Disney’s classic, hand-drawn art style (my favorite style by the way). This all-new movie reunites audiences with the philosophical “bear of very little brain” and friends Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Kanga, Roo—and last, but certainly not least, Eeyore, who has lost his tail. “Ever have one of those days where you just can’t win, Eeyore?” asks Pooh. Owl sends the whole gang on a wild quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit. It turns out to be a very busy day for a bear who simply set out to find some honey.

The film also features a new take on the classic Pooh songs. The songs are sung by She & Him singer Zooey Deschanel. As a total side note if you have never listened to She & Him you need to, they are phenomenal and I thank my almost 21 year old niece everyday for introducing me to them.

The film itself is adorable and the perfect length for young children, it's only 68 minutes long. Plus, before the film starts there is an animated short about the Loch Ness Monster, called The Ballad of Nessie, which I hope is featured on the DVD for this film when it comes out.

Both of my kids loved this film and talked about it the entire way home and the day after. They've also asked if they could go back to see it everyday since Monday. If you have younger kids and are looking for a first film to take them to, definitely make it this one. I have a feeling this will be a movie that we see several more times before it leaves the theaters. The film opens today, July 15th, nationwide.

Are any of you planning on seeing Winnie the Pooh this weekend?

Thank you again to my friends at Moroch and Disney Studios for making this possible!