Easy Recipe for a Pirate Fairy Family Movie Night on the Fly (plus Blue Pixie Dust Cookies!) #ProtectPixieHollow #shop #cbias

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This #ProtectPixieHollow shop has been compensated as part of a Disney The Pirate Fairy social shopper amplification for #CollectiveBias and its advertiser.

I'd love to say that our household is very zen and stress-free, but I can't . . . not even a little bit.  The truth is that ours is a very high stress household.  Everyone works hard and even the children rarely get downtime on weekdays during the few hours between the time they get off the school bus and the time they go to bed.  My oldest son just completed two big projects for school and all 3 children just recovered from a terrible stomach bug.  That's why I thought a surprise family movie night in the middle of the week would be just what the doctor ordered!  Since Disney's The Pirate Fairy released earlier this week on April 1st, I went to Walmart to pick up the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and a few other things I would need for planning a family movie night on the fly! (Get it?  Pixies . . . fly?).


Here is my recipe for a quick mid-week family movie night . . . 

Step 1.  Get your children to do extra homework the night before to free up their time for a weekday family movie night.

Step 2.  Go to Walmart and buy Disney The Pirate Fairy (in the New Releases section).  I saw that the Walmart Exclusive gift set with the bonus Bake Off DVD, which also includes 10 animated shorts, was the same price as the regular Blu-ray/DVD combo, so I grabbed it.

Step 3.  If you don't already have the the following, you can grab these at Walmart too:  large cupcake liners that look like flowers (I bought Wilton cupcake liners, but you could probably cut the shapes out of regular ones), iridescent ribbon (like Tinker Bell's wings), green cellophane Easter grass, covered straw cups, refrigerated sugar cookie dough, blue sugar crystals, a small round cookie cutter, confectioners sugar, and some Pirate's Booty snacks (Arrrrrrrgh!!!).

Step 4.  Bake and decorate the mini Blue Pixie Dust cookies in advance (see the super-easy recipe at the bottom).

Step 5.  Set up a little "Pixie Hollow Patch" with everything you need for the movie with one serving of Blue Pixie Dust cookies, one serving of Pirate's Booty, and one cup of milk per child.

Step 6.  Eat an early dinner.  If you didn't have time to cook, then order takeout to make things as stress-free as possible and to ensure that the children don't get to bed too late since it's a school night.

Step 7.  Sit down with your children and enjoy the movie!  (I totally enjoyed it as much as the children did.)


Other ways to make your family movie night fun . . . 

• Read a Disney Fairies book for your bedtime story after the movie
• Bookmark The Pirate Fairy games online, so the fun can continue the rest of the week.
• Print out these free printable Pirate Fairy coloring pages for use in the days to come.

Captain Zarina - The Pirate Fairy Scene on Disney Video
Although I've watched several Disney Fairies movies in the past, I have to say that this is honestly my favorite one.  Although I had been introduced to most of the fairies in past movies, this was the first one I've watched that really focused on each fairy's special talent and showed off how amazing and magical each talent was.  I think my favorite fairy is Rosetta because she is such a lady and she beautifies everything she touches.  Still, it would be exciting to have the talent of alchemy, which belongs to the newly introduced fairy, Zarina.

Something else about The Pirate Fairy that both I and my children very much enjoyed is that this movie had a place in time.  To me, other Disney Fairies movies were just adventures pulled out of no specific time from Pixie Hollow.  This one included the winter fairies, whom we were introduced to in the movie Secret of the Wings.  The viewer also eventually realizes that one of the characters is actually a young Captain James Hook (pre-hook) and a newly hatched crocodile named Crocky grows up to be Tick-Tock, the ticking crocodile from Peter Pan.  If your children have not already seen Peter Pan, it might be a good choice for your next family movie night as a follow-up to The Pirate Fairy.

Overall, this movie sends a great message about the flaws of not making an effort to see the potential in the new and nontraditional.  It also shows how important the ability to forgive is, something I want my children to be reminded about as often as possible.

Due to it being a school night, we had to save the bonus features and the Bake Off DVD for the following night.  The Bake Off also contained the theme of tradition vs. innovation and tied in very nicely with the story of Zarina, the pirate fairy.

If you're able to get The Pirate Fairy Blu-ray/DVD and Bake Off DVD gift set at Walmart before they sell out, let me know how you and your children like it!


Now as promised . . . 

Recipe:  Easy Pixie Dust Cookies

WHAT YOU NEED:

refrigerated sugar cookie dough

small round cookie cutter

blue sugar crystals

confectioners sugar

milk (or water)

Step 1.  Preheat the oven as directed on cookie packaging.

Step 2.  Slice the cookie dough per package instructions.  Then use your small round cookie cutter to cut your mini cookies out of the cookie dough slices.  Combine and flatten out the remaining dough to cut additional circles.

TIP:  Because of the small size of the cookies, I do not recommend using shaped cookie cutters.  I used a scalloped one, but it still baked into circles with smooth edges.

Step 3.  After the cut dough has been placed on a cookie sheet at least one inch apart, bake them for HALF the time recommended on the cookie dough package.  Watch the cookies carefully and remove them from the oven as soon as the edges begin to brown slightly.  Let them sit for a few minutes, then remove them with a spatula and put them on a plate to cool.

Step 4.  While your cookies are cooling, put 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar in a small bowl.  Then add a teaspoon of milk (can be substituted with water).  Stir until the icing is smooth and spreadable, but not runny.  If it's too thick, add another 1/4 teaspoon of milk.  If it's too runny, then add a little more powdered sugar.  Keep doing this until the icing is the desired consistency.

Step 5.  Neatly apply the icing to the top of one cookie.  Then sprinkle the blue sugar crystals on top of the freshly iced cookie immediately.  (If the icing begins to set, then the sugar crystals won't sink into it and will fall right off.)  Do this for all your mini cookies.  Serve after the icing has set completely.

Eat and enjoy!!!

Have Your Own Monster High Frights, Camera, Action! Movie Premiere Party

Thank you to Monsters High for providing the prize pack for our reader giveaway and for sending us a prize pack as a thank you for sharing the Frights, Camera, Action! DVD and toys with our readers.  All opinions expressed are my own.

On March 25th, Monster High released a new movie on DVD that was much-anticipated by tweenage Monster High fans everywhere . . . Monster High Frights, Camera Action!  To add to the fun, a new line of Monster High dolls have been introduced bringing the fashion savvy ghoulish movie characters to life.

Are you planning a playdate, a sleepover, or a Monster High birthday party for your little girl?  How about setting up a movie premiere screening for your daughter and her friends?  All you'll need is the Monster High Frights, Camera, Action! DVD,  the Monster High Frights, Camera, Action! Premiere Party Playset, and a few of your favorite new Monster High fashion dolls. My daughter's favorite dolls from the new line are Black Carpet Clawdeen Wolf, New Stars Elissabat, and Black Carpet Lagoona Blue.  My personal favorite is Black Carpet Draculaura.  That ghoul has got style!


Watch the Monster High trailer below to get a glimpse of Draculaura's and her friends' adventures in Hauntlywood as they search for the Vampire Queen . . . 

If you really want to make some fun memories, you could even have a dress-up and make-up session with your daughter and her guests to see what their best Monster High character-inspired Hauntlywood look is for walking down the Black Carpet during the movie premiere.  If I were my daughter's age, I would want purple hair like Elissabat's!  There are 8 new Monster High dolls in all.  Which one is your favorite?

You can look for everything you need for your own Monster High Frights, Camera, Action! Movie Premiere Party at Target, Walmart, Toys"R"Us, and Amazon.com.

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This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. A random drawing will be held shortly after the contest closing. The winner will be announced here and will be contacted via email. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be drawn.

Holiday Gift Idea: Prep & Landing Naught vs Nice . . . 2 Holiday Adventures on One Blu-ray/DVD

Last holiday season we were treated to a fantastic short Christmas DVD called Prep & Landing by Disney. I was pleasantly surprised how entertaining the movie was for adults as well as for children. Parents know how it can be to sit through a kids movie sometimes, but Prep & Landing was fun and a pleasure to watch and I can say Karen and I enjoyed it every bit as much as the kids did.

When we found out there was a sequel coming I could not wait to see it. We received the DVD + Blu-ray combo set that includes the original Prep & Landing and the new Prep & Landing Naughty Vs. Nice sequel in the same box. It was a nice touch to watch the original prior to seeing the new story.


Seeing the original was just as fun this time as it was the last. There is something about good clean and original humor that continues to be funny the more you see it. By the time we were finished with Prep & Landing, we were all eager to see the sequel, Prep & Landing Naughty Vs. Nice.

Naughty Vs. Nice stars the same likable characters from the first movie with a couple of new additions. The sequel adds a new type of special operations elf team and adds an extra degree of suspense and thrill. Naughty Vs. Nice only takes a few moments to get hilarious and action packed, much like the first movie.

I don't want to say more, as not to spoil the story, but the “nemesis” of Naughty Vs. Nice turns out to be a very cute and pleasant surprise.

The DVD + Blu-ray set is loaded with extras including shorts that are every bit as entertaining as the movies themselves. The disk contains a couple of easily digestible hours of fun by both adults and kids.


I loved both of these short movies and the extra content. This set is an absolute no-brainer to get for the family this year. I can't wait to see my special operations elf teams again next year!

You can find Prep & Landing Naughty Vs. Nice at most major movie retailers.  The Blu-ray/DVD combo is currently selling for just $13.99 with Free Super Saver Shipping on Amazon.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Have a Men In Black 3 Family Movie Night Before the National Release Date! (#SeeMIB3 #CBias)

Now that our oldest son is almost 9 years old, my husband and I have decided that he should be able to watch carefully selected movies that our 5-1/2 year old twins are not yet allowed to watch.  Having Family Movie Nights that are just for the 3 of us is something special we can offer him.  He shares his parents, his toys, and his room, so it is nice to be able to plan something that is just for him.  Our first "big boy" Family Movie Night movie was Men in Black 3.  We waited until the twins went to bed on a weekend night and let our son stay up to watch the movie.  He thought it was so cool that we were able to watch MIB3 2 weeks before the movie was to be released for purchase in stores!

Planning our movie night was actually super-easy.  Here are the 5 things you will need to do . . .

1.  Visit your local Walmart store to pre-order the MIB3 movie on Blu-ray or DVD by purchasing a special pre-purchase box.

2.  Redeem the pre-purchase code inside the box by visiting Vudu.com.  If you do not already have an account, it is a quick process to register on Vudu.  Once you have redeemed your code, you will see Men in Black 3 (Pre-Purchase) available under the MyVUDU tab.

3.  Although you can view the movie on your PC, you can also watch it on your television via Vudu on your D-Link MovieNite Plus or Roku streaming media players.  Simply go to Vudu HD on your streaming media menu and search for MIB3.  Then select the "watch" option to view the movie.

4.  Have some space-themed snacks on hand.  Since it was evening-time I did not want to offer our son anything too sugary.  I decided to serve Space Adventures Goldfish, Cheese Balls (they sort of resemble planets, don't they?), and green Gatorade.

5.  I had our son wear black sunglasses and a black tie I made using black construction paper, black ribbon, and a piece of tape.  All I did was turn a piece of black construction paper diagonally and cut a tie shape out of it, making sure I had an extra inch or so at the top.  Then I made a one-inch fold at the top of the tie and secured it on the back with a piece of tape.  Then I fed the black ribbon through the loop I had made on the back and tied the black necktie loosely around my son's neck.

What do you think? . . .

If you want to be able to say that you were one of the first ones to have a Men In Black 3 Family Movie Night, head over to Walmart to pick up your special pre-purchase copy.  Our movie night was so much fun and we made some great memories with our son.  He cannot wait to watch MIB3 again when our DVD copy arrives in the mail next week!


I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sony #CBias #SocialFabric #SeeMIB3.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Holiday Gift Idea: Tinker Bell in Disney's "Secret of the Wings" on Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD

For our most recent Family Movie Night, we watched the latest Tinker Bell movie from Disney, Secret of the Wings.  I have to say that this movie was delightful and would make an especially wonderful gift for sisters this Holiday, although it is a movie that would be enjoyed by both boys and girls.  It is filled with adventure, surprises, magic, and even what possibly could be classified as a miracle.  Also, it is a treat to have such famed actors like Anjelica Huston, Lucy Lui, Timothy Dalton, Mae Whitman, and more, providing the voices and personalities behind each character.

In this movie, Tinker Bell's curious and adventurous nature leads to the discovery that she actually has a sister who is a frost fairy named Periwinkle.  With so many things in common, such as identical wings, pompoms on their shoes, and their hobbies of collecting lost items, there was an instant sisterly bond.  The pair were determined to change the rules that have always separated winter fairies from warm-weather fairies.

(Click any image to enlarge)

As part of their shared adventure, Tinker Bell experiences many firsts, such as sledding, while Periwinkle sees her first rainbow, fish swimming in water, and fluttering butterflies.  In the end, Tinker Bell suffers one of the worst things that could happen to a fairy, but that is where the miracle comes in . . .

In addition to some fun music videos, our children's favorite DVD bonus feature was the "Pixie Hollow Games." Even though they had seen this 22-minute adventure before, they thoroughly enjoyed it as much this time as they did the first time they watched it.

You can find Secret of the Wings at most major retailers of Disney movies, such as the Disney Store, Amazon.com, Target, Walmart, and more.  It is available in a Blu-ray 3D/Blu-ray/DVD combo, Blu-ray/DVD Combo, DVD, and digital download.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

How To See MIB3 2 Weeks Before the Movie is Available In Stores (#SeeMIB3 #CBias)

There are some movies that I can just watch again and again, such as Armageddon, Independence Day, and Men in Black.  So I was excited to hear that Men In Black 3 was going to be released this November because we had missed it in the theaters.  We actually do not get the chance to see many movies in the theater that are not rated G.

Since we have switched from cable TV to strictly streaming media at our house, we have been watching more movies on DVDs and on services like Vudu.  There are extra perks for using Vudu.com.  For example, when you first register, you get to choose a free movie as a thank you.  They have also partnered with Walmart to give consumers access to certain new releases, such as MIB3, before they are even available in stores.  Want to know how I will be watching this new release as early as November 16th when it does not hit the stores until November 30th?  Here's how . . .

Step 1.  Look for the MIB3 Pre-Purchase box for either the Blu-ray/DVD Combo or just the DVD at your local Walmart store.  I found mine conveniently located near the main entrance in a New Releases display.

Step 2.  Open your box to find a paper disc inside (as pictured at the top of this post) with your Redemption Code and simple instructions about how to proceed printed on it.

Step 3.  If you are already registered with Vudu, you will need to sign-in.  If not, you will need to register on Vudu.com and allow Vudu to create an Ultra Violet account on your behalf.  When this is done, you will see the "Congratulations" message along with an order number.  An order confirmation will also be emailed to you to let you know that a physical DVD will be mailed to you by November 30th.

Step 4.  Now you can go to the "My VUDU" tab and see all the movies you have currently available to watch via Vudu.

Step 5.  If you hover over the MIB3 image, you will have the option to learn more about this movie.  Click on that link to see what is available to you right now.  As you can see below, the never-before-seen Featurette "Keeping It Surreal:  The Visual FX of MIB3" is available for you to watch right away as a result of your pre-order.  You can also see that the movie itself is not available to you until November 16th.

Easy, right?!!  I, for one, cannot wait to watch the movie on the 16th!  I find the time travel element to be very intriguing.  If you would like to learn more about Men In Black 3, visit Sony Pictures, Men In Black on Facebook and on Twitter, and watch the trailer below . . .


For a great Holiday gift idea, keep in mind the MIB 3 Bundle, which is a gift set of all 3 digital Men In Black films.


I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sony #CBias #SocialFabric #SeeMIB3.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Pre-Purchase The Amazing Spider-Man at Walmart to Receive an Early Digital Copy on Vudu.com (#SpiderManWMT #CBias)

If you are anxious for The Amazing Spider-Man to be released on any combination of UV Blu-ray or DVD on November 9th, here is a super-easy way for you to get a streaming copy of the movie on Vudu.com on October 30th, 10 days before the release date, that you will be able to watch on your computer, Blu-ray player, iPad, Roku, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.  The physical disc will be shipped to you sometime around the release date.  You will also have access to never before seen stunt footage and deleted scenes immediately after you register your pre-order of The Amazing Spider-Man on Vudu.


Checkout this exciting trailer from the movie . . . 



To Pre-Purchase The Amazing Spider-Man . . .

1.  Visit the Electronics department at your local Walmart store and look for any of the following . . . The Amazing Spider-Man Blu-Ray+DVD+UltraViolet Limited Edition Mask gift set, Ultraviolet/Blu-Ray, or Ultraviolet/DVD in a "pre-purchase" box.  Our store seemed to only have the pre-purchase for the DVD in stock.  Luckily, it was just what we needed.

2.  The instructions for registering your pre-purchase and registering for your advanced digital copy of the film can be found inside the box.

3.  Go to the special Vudu Spider-man movie link provided in the instructions and enter your redemption code.

4.  At this point, you will need to sign into Vudu or register for an account, if you do not already have one.  Then click the green button that says "Create Free UltraViolet Account."  You do not have to register again or go to another window.  Vudu creates the account for you.

5.  If you have followed the instructions correctly, you will see that The Amazing Spider-Man has been added under "My Movies."  From here, you can access some of the bonus features from the movie right away.  You will be able to access the movie via Vudu starting on October 30th and the physical copy of the movie will be shipped to you around November 9th.

How easy was that?  As an added bonus for registering for the first time on Vudu, I also received a free movie as a thank you.


I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment #CBias #SocialFabric #SpiderManWMT.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Introducing the Next Generation to the Movie "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial"

My family and I sat down and watched the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray/DVD box) and what a wonderful treat it was to share something that was such a giant part of my childhood with my kids.  E.T. dominated my childhood nearly as much as Star Wars did, chiefly because the main character, Elliot, was the same age as I when I saw it in the theater. Elliot and I played with the same toys, rode the same bike, had the same sibling relationships, and we both were dealing with separated parents. Elliot was me in so many ways and, as a result, E.T. impacted my life immensely.

When Karen and I had the opportunity to receive and write about the anniversary edition of E.T. I couldn't say yes fast enough. It was exciting to see if my kids would have the same reaction I had as a child 30 years later.  You know what? They did! They loved it! I was worried that some of the intense scenes would be too much for my nearly six year old twins but they sat right through it (with a few extra squeezes on their favorite stuffed friends). It is refreshing to see kids so entertained by 30 year old storytelling without all the gee-whiz effects that dominate movies today.  What a pleasure it was to relive the joy of seeing this movie with my family, and what an even greater pleasure it was to see my kids enjoy it as much as I did. My nearly nine year old son was moved to tears, as was I when I saw it for the first time. ET still has that power after 30 years!

The E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition set includes Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital Copy, and Ultraviolet versions of the movie. You can see this movie on any device you wish, as a result, even on somebody else's device via the Ultraviolet cloud based service.

In addition to the movie there are all the extras you would expect, including deleted scenes and special anniversary features. The extra scenes are light and entertaining and the bonus feature interviewing the actors added insight into the making of the movie.

The movie was digitally remastered and looks fantastic compared to any previous edition. The picture was crisp and the audio was excellent in the DVD copy. I can only imagine how wonderful the Blu-ray would look on a giant HD TV!

With the availability of streaming and on demand movies, people don't buy a lot of movies today, but this one is a must-own. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Anniversary Edition would be a great Holiday gift this year. What a no-brainer gift for some otherwise difficult to shop for people. I cannot wait for my friends and relatives to relive their childhood like I did watching this movie.  You can find it here on Amazon.com currently selling for just $17.74 with Free Super Saver Shipping.  This movie retails for $34.98 and can also be found at most major movie retailers.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

"People Like Us" on Blu-ray/DVD

From the studio that brought us The Help, comes a new heartwarming tale of a man’s journey as he gets to know the family he hadn’t known existed. In People Like Us, Sam Harper (played by Chris Pine) had always thought he was an only child, until his father’s sudden death. He received the surprise of his life when he learned his dad fathered another child with his mistress many years ago, giving him a sister and a nephew. His journey to learn about this family, meet his long-lost sister (played by Elizabeth Banks), and rediscover his roots changes him in innumerable ways.

This story is truly an emotional and inspirational tale. It’s even based on true events, which just makes it that much better. The acting is superb and the story is tear-jerking and relatable. My husband and I really enjoyed watching it and found ourselves invested in the characters pretty quickly. I would recommend this movie to anyone looking for a good, heartfelt movie to watch. I will warn it has pretty strong language, so it’s not for younger viewers.


Special features include the true story behind this film, deleted scenes, bloopers, and commentaries from the director, writer, and actors.

People Like Us is now available on both a Blu-ray/DVD combo, DVD, and digital download at most major movie retailers nationwide.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.

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"IMAX - Born To Be Wild" Blu-ray Combo Pack

The 2011 documentary IMAX: Born to be Wild became available in a Blu-ray Combo pack, on DVD, and for download on 4/17.  Since our youngest children (5 year old twins) have not shown too much interest in live action films, this Rated-G 41-minute long documentary on cute orphaned baby orangutans and elephants was the perfect non-animated movie for them.  It was also a great opportunity for all three of our children to see how much love these animals received from the amazing people who rescued them and ultimately raised them.  Hopefully they have learned how important it is to love and nurture animals as babies, just as much as it is with humans.

For more videos, visit Born To Be Wild on YouTube

This film is narrated by famed actor Morgan Freeman, but it was the young orphaned animals that received all the attention and the giggles from my children.  The baby orangutans were allowed to do many silly things that human children are taught not to do, such as pouring out their bottled drinks or drinking their bathwater.  There was also much excitement about seeing an elephant in a pair of pants and a group of elephants playing soccer.  The entire documentary captured the attention of our 8 year old son, but the twins lost interest when the focus of the film turned towards returning the grown animals back to the wild.





Currently you can purchase IMAX: Born To be Wild in a Blu-ray 3D Combo Pack, a Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital Download from most major movie retailers.

Thank you to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a second product for our contest prize.



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"Real Steel" . . . Slideshow, Movie Clips, and Review

On January 24th, Real Steel comes out on Blu-ray/DVD, DVD, and digital download. Our 8 year old son showed a lot of interest in seeing this film when it was in the theaters, but my husband and I thought we should watch it first to see why it is rated PG-13.

Since I did not pay too much attention to the press about this film, I did not know what to expect.  I knew it had robots in it, but that was about it.  Well, it turns out that this is more of a boxing movie than a techie robot movie.  Although I am not really a fan of boxing, I did enjoy this film, which was centered around the concept of robot boxing.  I also found it interesting that Sugar Ray Leonard was the boxing consultant for this movie.


The "Real Steel" movie trailer . . . 





In this film, Hugh Jackman (Wolverine in the X-Men films) plays a talented ex-boxer named Charlie Kenton, who is heavily into the robot boxing world and always seems to owe somebody money.  Although Charlie is not a con artist, he is always on the road and thinking about what he can do next to make some money.  Even with a longtime friend and somewhat love interest Bailey (played by Evangeline Lilly of ABC's Lost), Charlie just could or would not change his lifestyle.  It took the insertion of his estranged 11 year old son (played by Dakota Goyo of Thor) into his life to make Charlie care about being a better person and to put someone else before himself and before money.


"Real Steel" still images slideshow . . . 





Although Charlie has a love interest, this is definitely not a romantic movie.  The film does evoke emotion as the movie goes on and this is achieved mostly from the father-son bond that is growing between Charlie and Max.  Personally, I think the most moving part of the movie is when Jackman's character fights one last fight.

Even though this is a boxing movie more than a techie movie, the robots had a high coolness factor.  It was interesting to learn from one of the bonus features that each robot was actually built and not solely computer generated.  You can meet several of the robots on the RealSteelMovie Channel on YoutTube, including Atom, Noisy Boy, Metro, Zeus, and more.

Another bonus feature I found to be very engaging is the "Making of Metal Valley."  To see what it took to put together that short, but extremely exciting part of the movie makes the viewer appreciate all the work that went into the special effects and the execution of the stunts.


Video clip from "Making of Metal Valley" . . . 





In the end, my husband and I enjoyed Real Steel, but we will not be allowing our 8 year old son to watch it. Although there is not too much foul language or graphic violence, there is some violence that is not robot-related.  I also think that the Metal Valley scene might be too dark and suspenseful for him.

You can pre-order your copy of this film now or purchase it starting on Tuesday (1/24).  Through 1/19/12, you can snag a $5 off coupon for the Real Steel 3-Disc Combo Pack by visiting www.steelgetsreal.com.


Thank you to Click-Communications for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Holiday 2011: Dolphin Tale Arrives on Blu-ray/DVD on Dec. 20th

Dolphin Tale is the heartwarming true story of Winter, a dolphin who lost her tail due to fishermen. This story is an inspirational one, showing the bond between humans and animals, never giving up, and dealing with differences in people and animals. The main character, Sawyer, is an amazing child who believes in Winter when no one else does, and he is proven right.

We all absolutely loved this movie. From my 4 year old to my 33 year old husband, we were all touched by the moving story of Sawyer and Winter and got teary-eyed on more than one occasion. This movie is well-done, superbly acted, and a great family flick. Truly a feel-good story for families, this would make a great gift for anyone on your Christmas list.

Dolphin Tale becomes available on Blu-ray and DVD December 20, 2011.


Thank you to Warner Bros. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.

Giveaway: Life As We Know It (Blu-ray/DVD Combo) [CLOSED]

Last October, I had the pleasure of attending a screening of the romantic comedy Life As We Know It with my husband.  We both enjoyed the film very much, to my husband's surprise.  Well, the Blu-ray/DVD combo for this movie is due to hit stores on February 8th, 2011!  I highly recommend this movie if you are planning a dinner and a movie at home for Valentine's Day or any date night.  You can read my review of Life As We Know It here on 3G2S.

As I had stated in my review, I am a huge fan of Josh Duhamel.  His character Messer (the bad boy bachelor) and the sweet responsible Holly (played by Katherine Heigl) successfully prove that there really is a fine line between love and hate.  This movie is a great comedy with just a hint of romance, making it perfectly entertaining for both men and women.


Here is a sneak peak, if you have not seen the trailer . . . 





Available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, On Demand and for Download beginning 2/8 from the WBshop.com, Amazon.com, and most major retailers of popular movies.

Thank you to Warner Bros. Entertainment for providing a copy of this movie for our contest prize and for also sending me one as a thank you for participating in this campaign.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a copy of "Life As We Know It" on Blu-ray + DVD.

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Watch the short trailer above for Life As We Know It. Then leave a comment telling me which scene you thought was the funniest. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1)  For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.


2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3)  For 10 extra entries, join the Warner Bros. Email List. Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments telling me you did.

4)  For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5)  For 1 extra entry, "Like" Life As We Know It on Facebook. Then leave a comment with the link to your Facebook profile.


6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, February 21st, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Review: Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Diamond Edition)

On October 5th, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment released the much-anticipated Beauty and the Beast - Diamond Edition on a Blu-ray/DVD combo and movie download. I remember when this Academy Award winning Disney film hit the theaters in 1991. I was amazed by the art and music of this production. Now, nearly two decades later, I still find this movie to be just as charming and humorous and the graphics to be just as breathtaking. I am so thrilled to be able to share the magic of Disney's Beauty and the Beast with my children.

The lesson taught by this timeless story is that one must look beyond the surface to see the inner beauty in people. This concept is simple and can be understood by children as young as preschoolers and is a lesson that everyone needs to be reminded of occasionally, children and adults alike.

Of course, the main characters of Belle (Paige O'Hara) and the Beast (Robby Benson) make the movie, but they did not do it alone. The supporting characters, such as Belle's endearing father Maurice (Rex Everhart), the motherly Mrs. Potts (Angela Lansbury), the passionate Lumiere (Jerry Orbach), and the every-so-proper Cogsworth (David Ogden Stiers) help to make this movie the gem that it is. Let us not forget the character you love to hate Gaston (Richard White) and his jester-like sidekick Lefou (Jesse Corti).

This movie runs for approximately 90 minutes, which was a little too long for our 3-1/2 year old twins. After an hour they began to get antsy, but that did not stop our youngest son from asking every five minutes "What's going to happen next?" for the first 60 minutes. Our 6-1/2 year old son enjoyed the film very much, especially since this romantic fairy tale also included plenty of humor, adventure, and even some action.

(Click any image to enlarge)

If you are looking for this movie in DVD only, then you will have to wait until November 23rd, 2010. In the meantime, you can find the Beauty and the Beast Blu-ray/DVD combo at the Disney Store and other retailers who offer Disney movies. The movie download can be found on iTunes.

Thank you to Click-Communications for sending us a complimentary sample Blu-ray/DVD combo to base this review upon.