Countdown to Disney's John Carter!

Earlier this week, I was fortunate enough to attend an advance VIP screening of Disney's John Carter, which doesn't officially open until March 9th.

Unfortunately, I am not allowed to share my full review with you until opening day.

BUT!

I can say that I really enjoyed the movie. And that the Engineer and the Rhino, who came as my guests,  were "impressed", and agreed it was "really good." And the Rhino's girlfriend went so far as to dub the film, "glorious"!

But since we have over a week to go, I don't want to just leave you all hanging! So here's the latest official trailer to whet your appetite until opening day.

And you are going to want to see John Carter on opening day.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Are you all set to hand out that Halloween booty? Want to add some pirate to your day like me?

Here's some tips for swashbuckling Halloween!

First, find a costume you like, adapt and accessorize to make it truly you. Thanks to a generous benefactor, I had a few pirate costumes for the family. We all meant to pose in them sooner, but sadly we had a death in the family and a funeral in Tampa to attend. 


When we got back, I realized the female pirate costume didn't work for me at all. I'd lost some weight, so it was too big, and the gold blousey top, brown vest and skirt just didn't say "pirate" to me. So I tried on this men's costume, switched out the fabric belt for one of my own, and added some shell necklaces and earrings to round out a Pirates of the Caribbean look.

The Engineer went for this cool Blackbeard costume. I know what you're thinking: where's the BEARD? Astoundingly, the costume comes with a jacket, jabot (in case, like me, you recognize the word jabot but can't remember what it is, it's like a neckerchief or cravat), tricorne hat, belt and boot covers--but NO beard! We would have preferred the beard to either the belt or jabot, but the coat is very nice, don't you think?

Carve a pirate pumpkin! 


Just go here and download this Jolly Roger pumpkin stencil and carving instructions! 


You can also check out this pumpkin carving time-lapse video below for more inspiration:




Host a Pirates of the Caribbean marathon!


The latest movie, On Stranger Tides, is available now on Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack!

Fool around with some photo effects to capture the mood! Here, I used AppZilla 2 for the iPhone, and Photoshop on my laptop, to give our pirate photos a vintage look.




Finally, take the little swashbucklers out and pillage for your own pirate booty!


We received this pirate costumes to help promote the October 18th release of the Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides  Blu-ray 3D & Blu-Ray Hi-Def Combo Pack!

Silly Old Bear Doesn't Look a Day Over 80

Hip, Hip, Hooray! 

Here's to 85 Years of Hunny Hunting

…and Many More! 

“If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you.”  ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

On October 14, 1926 A.A. Milne published Winnie-the-Pooh, the first volume of stories featuring the beloved bear and his Hundred Acre Wood inhabiting pals! In honor of this momentous occasion, here are some film clips from the upcoming 10/25 release of Disney's WINNIE THE POOH on Blu-ray & DVD.

First, the movie Trailer:

And since my oldest son's favorite character was Piglet, here's a bonus clip for you, Relying on Piglet:

And, for the littlest readers, we even have fun games and activities! 

Just click the button below to Print and Play!

This Giveaway is a (wait for it) REAL STEEL!

 DreamWorks Pictures’ REAL STEEL opens in theatres everywhere tomorrow.

The movie stars Hugh Jackman (good enough reason to see it right there), and takes place in the not-so-far-away future, where boxing is now high-tech and fought not by men but by huge fighting robots (sounds like a more humane way to go about it, actually. No more concussions!).

Hugh Jackman is a former fighter who lost his chance at the title when the robots came along. When he hits rock-bottom (and basically runs out of other choices), his son (played by Dakota Goyo), who wants a better relationship with his estranged Dad, team up to build (and train, apparently?!) their own robot contender. 

Now, if that isn't enough to get you excited for the weekend, guess what? To celebrate the opening, we at  Cool Moms Rule! get to host REAL STEEL  giveaway for you! 

ITEMS FOR GIVEAWAY:


- REAL STEEL t-shirt
(in adult  sizes S, M, L, XL)

- REAL STEEL bottle opener 

- REAL STEEL stickers

- REAL STEEL temporary tattoos

                              
One lucky winner takes home the whole kit and kaboodle (ever wonder what a "kaboodle" is? It's things like that keeping me up at night).

To Enter:

Just leave a comment here with your favorite Hugh Jackman film. Come on, the guy's had billions, this is an easy one!

For Additional entries:

Tweet about the contest using #realsteel and #coolmomsrule for THREE extra entries.

"Like" Dreamworks and the REAL STEEL Facebook page for another TWO entries.

+1 on Google Plus for another entry.

Contest ends Monday, October 17th and is available to US and Canadian entrants only, please. 

Good Luck!

P.S. A caboodle (or boodle) - is an archaic term meaning group or collection, usually of people. A "kit" is what soldiers carried their equipment in. The beginning "ca" was most likely added on to boodle simply for alliteration when combined with "kit". The exact phrase "the whole kit and caboodle" was first recorded in 1884. There. Now you can get some rest!

The items in the giveaway are being sent directly to the winner, chosen through random integer selection, by the giveaway sponsor. I have received no personal compensation whatsoever for posting about the REAL STEEL movie or hosting this giveaway on this blog.

I'm Not Lyin'. Concept Art is Seriously Cool.

Is Miss Piggy Really A Boar?

Of course not! Miss Piggy is anything but boring (see what I did there?).
With The Muppets set to open in theaters on Thanksgiving Day, Miss Piggy graciously sat down for an interview during Fashion Week to answer questions for the blogging community about her upcoming film (which also stars Amy Adams, Jason Segel and, of course, Kermit). Here are some excerpts from the interview that tickled me pink:

A CONVERSATION WITH MISS PIGGY…

What is Disney’s “The Muppets” about? 

It’s moi’s story, of course. It’s about how I am working in Paris and Kermit and the other Muppets come over and beg me to come home. I run the complete gamut of acting—from smiling to frowning. It’s got Oscar® written all over it—and I’m not just talking de La Renta. I have heard rumors that there’s another storyline in the movie that doesn’t involve moi, but who really cares about that?

What is your role in Disney’s “The Muppets?”

Moi plays moi.  It’s a casting no-brainer. Naturally, all of Hollywood’s top actresses tested for the part—Roberts, Streep, Winslet, Jolie, Bullock—but in the end they decided that there is only one moi and I’m it!

In the movie, I portray the plus-size fashion editor of Vogue Paris—I’m in charge of a whole office full of editors who all want to look just like moi. But of course, Kermit wants me back with the Muppets to save the day and put on some big show.  Can I resist? Well, see the movie and find out.

How does your life differ from the characters you portray on the big screen?

In real life, my wardrobe is much, much bigger and more expensive, but I’m a lot like what you see on the big screen. The camera does add a few pounds—when people meet me in person they’re always amazed at how svelte I am. Take my word for it.

What was it like working opposite Jason Segel?

Jason is a sweet, sweet man… and a very funny comedic actor. Of course, when I heard he wrote the movie and could write my part even bigger, we became best friends forever.

…Amy Adams?

Amy and moi are so much alike, except for the fact that she’s been nominated for an Academy Award® THREE TIMES and I’ve gotten bupkis!   (Entres nous, I think they just don’t want to nominate anyone outside their species.)

There was a little tension at first, but once Amy learned about not touching the frog, we became fast friends.  We hang together whenever we’re in the same city, which up to now has been… let’s see… never.

You are a fashion icon. What is your secret?
I have a few fashion secrets:

• Never wear anything that requires a hoist to get into.
• There is no such thing as too much accessorizing.
• If it’s expensive, it fits.
• Style comes in all shapes and sizes. Therefore, the bigger you are, the more style you have.

Are you and Kermit together? 

Of course we’re together.  In the movie, we seem to be apart, but that’s just for dramatic tension. In real life, we’re fabulously happy and the longest-running interspecies couple in all of Hollywood.

THE MUPPETS opens in theaters everywhere on November 23rd! 

To get closer to the diva pig, 
check out: http://disney.go.com/muppets/portfolio/piggy/videos.html.

‘Like’ THE MUPPETS on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/Muppets

Tron Evolution: Battle Grids for the Wii

I'm old enough to remember both the original Tron movie and the videogame--which, back then, we played in this archaic place known as an arcade (look it up on Google, kids)--so this game, Tron Evolution: Battle Grids, based on the newest Disney movie, Tron Legacy, was, in some ways, like an old friend.

As in the original arcade game, Tron fans will be glad to hear you can ride Light Cycles, Throw Light Discs and battle Grid Tanks in Tron Evolution: Battle Grids.

Rather than the merciless spiders (Grid Bugs) I remember, there are Light Runners (cars) to race instead. I think this is a good move on the Disney and Propaganda Games' part: no nightmares for those arachnophobes out there, and also the game skews to a younger audience (sadly, Propaganda Games was closed down by Disney last month).

I played the game with the Master Strategist (the Owl) and the Suicide Shooter (the Rhino), and here are our thoughts on Tron Evolution: Battle Grids.

First off, we flet the Wii was the wrong vehicle for this game. As the Master Strategist put it, "The Wii feels like it is ten years behind the technology." For example, in the Light Runner section, you use the Wii controller, held sideways. For some strange reason, button #2 is accelerate, while button #1 is brake (which you never use). To shoot weapons, you rely on A. To me, the controls are counter-intuitive. A = accelerate in most games. But even without that impediment, directional thumbpads are far superior to the Wii controller for use as steering wheels. They do make steering wheels controllers for the Wii, but there is nothing in the game literature to indicate whether they are compatible with Tron Evolution: Battle Grids.

But putting those concerns aside, the Grid Tank section of the game offers some real enjoyment and even a bit of a challenge. The game offers you the chance to pick AI of various levels to play against in each of the game play modes, and you can choose between one and three virtual opponents. Aiming involves both moving the controller and zeroing in with an marker on the screen, like a big cross, to target your opponent. This is a bit tricky (at least for me) to master, which added to the replayability of the levels. Tough against any but the easiest AI, Grid Tank players must turn on their shields to protect against enemy tanks, lure their AI opponents onto mines or repeatedly pummel them with missiles or mortar attacks to emerge victorious. Definitely our favorite section of Tron Evolution: Battle Grids.

The Light Cycles were a bit of a disappointment, as we would have preferred an overhead camera view. You can certainly go fast enough, and the levels are large, but the size of the playing field makes it hard to gauge where you are in relation to the other cyclist(s), crucial if you are going to trap and crash them against your light trail. There is a small square, like a really simplified radar, with the relative positions of the riders, but you simply do not have time to correlate your actual vehicle with this while you are racing your Light Cycle at top speed.

The Light Discs in Tron Evolution: Battle Grids had an auto-tracking feature of some kind, which meant that wherever you were in the level, if you threw that disc you were going to hit your opponent. Thus, the game becomes more about maneuvering through the changing environment (the arena shifts, moving points on the grid up and down to create cliffs and valleys) than accuracy in aim or skill at shooting. My teen fellow testers did not approve of this. They wanted their accuracy to count for something. The auto-aim is probably best for younger players who have not yet mastered their gaming skills--but this begs the question, why is the aiming system on the Grid Tanks so much more advanced than that of the Light Discs? Not sure what the game makers were going for here.

Viv's Take: Overall, we were not impressed with Tron Evolution: Battle Grids for the Wii. We felt the Grid Tanks offered the best replay value, were not impressed by the Light Discs, would have preferred better controls for the Light Racers, and a better camera angle for the Light Cycle. We also felt that the Wii did not offer the best vehicle for the game.

TRON: Evolution – Battle Grids, rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older, for Wii has a $49.99 suggested retail price.

I received a copy of Tron Evolution: Battle Grids for the Wii for the purposes of this review.

Disney's Tangled Contest Winners!

Here's something to be thankful for today...

We've picked the winners for our Disney Tangled contest!

First off, if Dane (hey, is that the Dane I'm thinking of?!) is reading, please please please send me your email so I can contact you! It's a rule that we have to have an email for each comment, so that we can get your shipping info for your prizes!

Okay, so the winners, picked by Random Integer Generator, were:

Here are your random numbers:

1 2 14

Timestamp: 2010-11-27 15:11:38 UTC

So, here are comments 1, 2 and 14: 
Dane said...I hope Mary Poppins counts. Cuz she was awesome.
Katrina said...hmm....that is a tough question...I guess if I could only choose one I really like Pocahontas 
 ykatrina at hotmail dot com


Jackie said...Belle is one of my favorites. Thanks for the giveaway! 
jackievillano at gmail dot com

Congratulations, Dane, Katrina and Jackie (again! Thanks for entering our contests)! 

I will be contacting you by email to get your shipping info for your prizes.

Last Day to Enter our Tangled Giveaway (Psst...It's in Theaters Tomorrow!)

Reminder: Don't forget to enter our Tangled giveaway today!

We have low entries on this one so far, so your chances of winning are excellent with THREE Tangled gift packs to give away.

We'll be announcing our winner in conjunction with opening day of Tangled tomorrow, so today is your LAST CHANCE to enter!

Good luck!

New Tangled Clips!

Horsing Around


The Snuggly Duckling


Mother Gothel

Hey, remember there's only a week left in our Tangled giveaway! Enter today.

Meet Rapunzel and Flynn Rider from Disney's Tangled, opening 11/24

I've been looking forward to Disney's Tangled ever since I learned that the Zachary Levi, the actor who plays Chuck (love that TV show!) will be starring in it (well, his voice anyway) alongside Mandy Moore's Rapunzel.  Here's the dirt on the lead characters from the movie, which opens 11/24.

RAPUNZEL may have lived her entire life locked inside a hidden tower, but Rapunzel is no damsel in distress. The girl with the 70 feet of golden hair is an energetic, inquisitive teenager who fills her days with art, books, and imagination.  Rapunzel is full of curiosity about the outside world, and she can’t help but feel that her true destiny lies outside of the lonely tower walls.  Rapunzel has always obeyed Mother Gothel by staying hidden away and keeping her magical hair a secret… but with her 18^th birthday just a day away, she is fed up with her sheltered life and ready for adventure.  When a charming thief seeks refuge in her tower, Rapunzel defies Gothel and seizes the opportunity to answer the call of the kingdom.  With the unwilling Flynn Rider along for the journey, Rapunzel leaves the tower for the first time, and begins a hilarious, hair-raising journey that will untangle many secrets along the way.

CHARACTER BIO:

The ultra-confident FLYNN RIDER is his own biggest fan, and he has long relied on his wit, charm and good looks to get out of even the stickiest situation – and Flynn’s life just happens to be full of sticky situations. Flynn is a thief looking for the one last, big score that will allow him to finally live the life he’s always dreamed of.  He's never been closer to having it all when he meets Rapunzel, an odd girl with ridiculously long hair.  Rapunzel seems to be the only girl in the world immune to Flynn’s moves, and for the first time ever he seems to have met his match.  An unlikely alliance with this girl from the tower sends Flynn on the adventure of a lifetime, and helps him realize that sometimes you don’t know what you want… until it hits you over the head… literally.

Awww...

Want more? Don't forget to enter our Tangled giveaway!

Disney Tangled Giveaway!

Disney's take on the classic fairytale, Rapunzel, comes out on November 24th, and Cool Moms Rule! has an incredible giveaway to commemorate the event.

The movie, entitled Tangled (just in case you live in a cave and haven't heard all the buzz) follows the antics of a newly-envisioned, feisty Rapunzel, who is not content to just sit around in a tower waiting to be rescued:

When the kingdom’s most wanted—and most charming—bandit Flynn Rider (voice of Zachary Levi) is taken hostage by Rapunzel (voice of Mandy Moore), a feisty teen with 70 feet of golden hair who’s looking for her ticket out of the tower where she’s been locked away for years, the unlikely duo sets off on a hilarious, hair-raising escapade filled with adventure, heart, humor and hair—lots of hair.

 I'm really looking forward to this one myself!

- Female fit Rapunzel t-shirt in Adult and Youth sizes (S, M, L, XL)

- General fit Flynn Rider t-shirt in Adult and Youth sizes (S, M, L, XL)

- General fit Pascal t-shirt in Adult and Youth sizes (S, M, L, XL)

- Silly Bandz – set of 4 characters (Rapunzel, Flynn, Pascal, Maximus)  

To enter to WIN a Tangled t-shirt featuring one of the three main characters and a slew of Silly Bandz, just leave a comment below this post with your favorite Disney heroine!  Contest runs through November 24th, the opening day of Tangled. Three winners will be chosen (one T-shirt and Silly Bandz set each)!

For additional entries:

• Follow CoolMomsRule! on Twitter
• Tweet about this giveaway and leave a link to the Tweet in the comments
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to the post in the comments

Good Luck!

The Party Never Ends in Pixie Hollow

WALT DISNEY STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAINMENT HOSTS A VERY SPECIAL “PICNIC-IN-THE-PARK” WORLD PREMIERE OF Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue

Tinker Bell, Rosetta, Iridessa and Fawn were there live to greet all of their fairy friends.  They were joined by film talent Mae Whitman (voice of Tinker Bell), Raven-Symonѐ, Michael Sheen, Pamela Adlon, Rob Paulsen, Dominika Paleta, director Brad Raymond & producer Helen Kalafatic as well as Jason Earles (Hannah Montana), Billy Bush, Gilles Marini (Brothers & Sisters), Chris Cornell (Soundgarden), Mark Feuerstein (Royal Pains), Ariel Winter (Modern Family), Rick Fox (Ugly Betty), Zendaya Coleman (Shake It Up!), Roshon Fegan (Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam) and Landon Pigg.

Check out the video!

The very special outdoor premiere of Disney’s All-New Movie Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue was screened for more than 1,000 families in the local Los Angeles area.   The event featured a dozen of L.A.’s most popular food trucks, including Top Chef alum Brian Hill’s gourmet food truck,  along with a bevy of  activity  stations for the kids – including face painting, Tink tattoos, coloring stations and Radio Disney, who  emceed the event.   All fairy attendees received Tinker Bell blankets, Tinker Bell glow sticks, Fairy wings and enjoyed many Fairy activities.

Tinker Bell, the world’s favorite fairy, will be spreading her magic for audiences of all ages, as the worlds of fairies and humans converge for the very first time in Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue.  An all-new original full-length CG animated film featuring breathtaking animation, spectacular music and an all-star cast of voice talents debuts September 21st on Blu-ray Combo Pack (includes Blu-ray and bonus DVD of the film and movie download) and DVD.

Hooray for...

Hollywood!

Because, right this minute, that's where I am!

And no, I do not mean Hollywood, Florida.

Nope, I'm right around the corner from Hollywood Blvd in California's Hollywood Renaissance Hotel. I can actually see the famous H O L L Y W O O D sign from my room, and as soon as I have some lunch (been up since 5 am Eastern time since I had to fly across the country), I'm going to check out the stars' handprints down the road.

Oh, and you know what? They are filming The Defenders TV show right in the lobby!

So, viv, what are you doing in Hollywood, you ask?

I'm here to celebrate with the great folks at Disney and some of my favorite bloggers, screening Tinker Bell and the Great Fairy Rescue! And I'll be getting a sneak peek at the new Disney product line for the movie, which of course I will share with you!

I'll also be meeting with Paige O'Hara, the lovely voice of Belle from Beauty and the Beast, about the release of the Diamond Edition of the movie.

Here are the other bloggers expected to attend:
Mamanista
IEMommy
MyWeeView
HereAndThere
ValsViews/ValMG
BabeeLove
MomStart
MyOrganizedChaos
Momsational/WooJr
EmpoweringMommy
MommiesWithStyle/Momfluential
MomCentral/CalandroClan
TravelingMamas

I'm so excited!

More soon, my lunch is waiting!

What to Do on Earth Day?

Watch WordGirl: Earth Day Girl!

WordGirl” is a new animated series that follows the every day life and superhero adventures of “WordGirl” as she fights crime and enriches vocabulary usage, all in a day’s work. I'd heard parents say really good things about the show on Metafilter:

I would non-ironically watch Word Girl as an adult show if I could. Hilarious.

Word-girl is awesome and I have watched it even when my daughter wasn't around.

Word Girl is fantastic.

So, I checked out the Word Girl: Earth Day DVD myself, and it's a real winner!

In the DVD, Word Girl takes on new villains like Birthday Girl, Chuck the Evil Sandwich-Making Guy, Dr. Two-Brains, The Butcher, Tobey, Mr. Big, Granny May and my personal favorite: Lady Redundant Woman.

The DVD also includes Special Features like Interactive Games, Video Shorts and Coloring Pages for your kids.

WORD GIRL: EARTH DAY
Street Date: March 30, 2010
Pricing: $14.99
Runtime: approximately 100 minutes

Buy Yourself a New, Eco-Friendly Laptop Case

The Nuo Tech environmentally-friendly collection is constructed of eco-friendly materials such as water and vegetable-based dyed cotton/canvas and synthetic leather materials. The materials do not contain harmful AZO dyes or PVC and are RoHS compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances).

Cases start at $19.99 and all Nuo and Kailo Chic products purchased at shopnuo.com the week of Earth Day (April 19-26) will receive a 20 percent discount in celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Earth Day!


Go See Disney's New Movie, Oceans, in Theaters Today!

Narrated by actor and outspoken environmentalist Pierce Brosnan, the film's powerful imagery chronicles the mysteries that lie beneath the surface of the planet's latest endangered habitat – our oceans.

I received a review copy of the Word Girl: Earth Day Girl DVD to facilitate my review of that product in this post.

And the winner is...

Here's the moment you've all been waiting for!

Well, most of you, anyway.

We had a whopping 354 comments on our Disney Easter Basket giveaway!

Entries closed at noon, rather than midnight, so that I can get the winner's info to the sponsor before Spring Break rains down upon my head. Thank you all for understanding (I posted the adjusted end time on the blog this morning).

So, without further ado, the big winner of the Disney Easter Basket, chosen by random integer generator, was comment #12:

"Miss" Anita said...

I listed this on the giveaway linky on this blog...

http://www.kouponkaren.com/2010/03/monday-giveaway-madness-post-your-giveaway-32210.html

roseinthemorning [at] gmail [dot] com
entry 3 of 3

Congrats, Miss Anita! I'm emailing you now to get your shipping info.

Thanks so much to all who entered, and we have a couple more giveaways coming up for you all soon!

Last Chance to Enter!

Don't forget to get your entries in for the Disney Easter Basket giveaway! The Entry deadline has been moved up to NOON today, EST due to Spring Break chaos here at the old household.

I'll be contacting the winner later tonight so I can get that shipping info to the sponsor ASAP. Keep your fingers crossed, and get those last tweets in now!

Tiana's Famous Beignets

These scrumptious treats are a New Orleans favorite!

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup water
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for frying
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium bowl, combine 2 3/4 cups of the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk everything together.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, water, egg, and vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture from Step 1.

3. Use some of the remaining flour to dust your work surface. Place the dough on it and pat it into a large 1/2 -inch-thick square. Dust the top with more flour if it gets sticky. Next, slice the dough into 21/2 -inch squares.

4. Now it’s time to fry the beignets—be sure to ask an adult to help you! Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy saucepan on the stovetop until the temperature reaches 325° on a deep-fat thermometer. Check the temperature every so often while cooking. If it gets too hot, temporarily turn the heat down, or off.

5. Carefully drop 3 dough squares at a time into the hot oil. Fry them for 3 minutes, turn them over, and continue frying for 3 more minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beignets to a wire rack set atop paper towels to drain. Dust the beignets with confectioners’ sugar, and enjoy!

Makes 14 to 16
(pages 6-7 in The Princess and the Frog: Tiana’s Cookbook)

Reprinted from the book DISNEY’S THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG TIANA’S COOKBOOK RECIPES FOR KIDS. Copyright © 2009 Disney Enterprises, Inc. Published by Disney Press, an imprint of Disney Book Group.

Ponyo: Sweet, Loveable, Magical

"There is a word to describe Ponyo. And that word is magical." --Roger Ebert

I'd heard a lot about Ponyo on the web, but missed it in
the theater. I honestly wondered whether I would like it at all.

It's really different from what I'm used to, for one thing. Though presented by Disney, it has a decidedly anime feel, thanks to the director Hayao Miyazaki (who also directed Spirited Away, the Academy Award-winning Animated Feature of 2002).

Which is really odd because I don't usually like anime.

And I LOVED Ponyo.

At first, again, I wasn't sure I would. It starts out with a strange, mystical scene with what are supposed to be little fish but look more like little girls in dresses swimming in water. Which makes a strange kind of sense, when you consider that Ponyo is based on Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid.

You just have to accept that the little fish girls are beautiful goldfish, okay? Suspend your disbelief. Oh, and that their Dad is some kind of great mystical sea guy who keeps them in bubbles.

Plus, they can heal cuts.

Oh, and they and really shouldn't eat meat. Trust me on this.

Sosuke (voiced by Frankie Jonas, younger brother of the famous Jonas Brothers), a five year-old boy, is just walking along the beach near his home when he finds one of the beautiful goldfish trapped in a bottle. He releases her and, sure that she is no ordinary fish (which we already know), names his new friend Ponyo (Noah Lindsey Cyrus, yep, Miley's sister). He brings her home to his Mom.

I just have to interject here: Sosuke and his mother (Tina Fey) are the best animated family ever. Yay, an actual loving Mom in an animated feature for a change! This thrills me, and the fact that she isn't perfect and even gets really irritated with Sosuke's Dad just makes her feel even more real. And I just love how cute and caring Sosuke is. He's just this great little boy. He's only an animated character, and yet you want to take him in your arms and give him this big hug when he worries about his friend Ponyo.

Okay, back to the story.

As Sosuke and Ponyo grow closer, she reveals to him that she is the daughter of a powerful wizard (Liam Neeson) and a sea goddess (Cate Blanchett), and magically transforms herself into a real human girl (!).

Interjecting again: how cool would Cate Blanchett and Liam Neeson be as parents?! Another total win for the animated families in this movie.

Well, all is not sunshine and light, folks, because by crossing from her watery world onto land, Ponyo has created a dangerous imbalance in nature. As the moon begins to draw closer to the earth(!), sea levels rise and a giant tsunami threatens to destroy Sosuke’s home.

Meanwhile, Ponyo’s father marshals all his might to find his missing daughter, as the two children embark on an adventure of a lifetime to try and save the world.

The underlying message of Ponyo is one of love, acceptance, and sacrifice, just as in the classic fairy tale. Sosuke must accept Ponyo in her true form, and she must sacrifice her own magic, if they are going to make it through this.

Psst...don't worry, there's a happily ever after this time.

This is just a great, great film. Hugely, hugely recommended!

Ponyo came out on DVD and Blu-ray March 2nd.

Here are the bonus features from the Blu-ray version:

The World of Ghibli- Allows fans to immerse themselves in the amazing worlds from each film created by legendary filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki in this multi-layered interactive experience.

Behind the Studio- Unprecedented access to all the background, inspiration and process behind the making of Ponyo and the inner workings of Studio Ghibli through a series of documentaries. They include all new interviews with Hayao Miyazaki, and composer Joe Hisaishi.

Also included in this feature are:
• Creating Ponyo
• Ponyo & Fujimoto
• The Nursery
• Behind the Microphone: The Voice of Ponyo
• Producers Perspective: Telling the Story
• Scoring Miyazaki
• The Scenery in Ghibli
• Original Japanese Trailer

Ponyo is priced at $39.99 for Blu-ray Hi-Def and $29.99 for 2-Disc DVD.

I received a review copy of Ponyo on Blu-ray Hi-Def to facilitate this review.

For Your Funny Little Valentine: A Giveaway!

Regular readers of the blog will know that I am a big Winnie the Pooh fan. I think the stories are very kid-friendly (the Owl takes his nickname from them), Piglet is a great role model for kids who are a bit timid, and of course Eeyore is the sweetest depressed donkey around.

Tuesday, January 5th, the latest Winnie the Pooh DVD from Disney came out, the heartwarming classic, Winnie the Pooh: a Valentine for You, in a special edition with Winnie the Pooh valentines(!), and we are GIVING IT AWAY!

You know that Disney always packs their DVDs full of extras. This Valentine-themed animated collection features:

My Hero-- First time on DVD. Piglet saves Tigger's life, so of course Tigger feels he owes his friend and becomes Piglet's servant. Unfortunately, Tigger's "help" makes life harder for Piglet until the tables are turned once again.

Un-Valentines Day--Rabbit wants to cancel Valentine's Day! Last year, the Valentine's Day cards littered the Hundred Acres Wood. So the friends agree..and then someone anonymously sends Pooh a pot of honey, and it's on again!

A Valentine for You--Pooh, Piglet, Tigger are worried that Christopher Robin has been bitten by the love bug "Smitten," after they see him making a Valentine for a...gulp...*girl*! Will he still have time for his friends? They set off on a wild chase for the love bug to save their friend.

BONUS FEATURES

Catch the Love Bug Game--In this game, players try to catch as many flying “Love Bugs” as they can throughout the Hundred Acre Woods.

Pooh-themed Valentine’s Day cards!

To Enter the Giveaway (required for initial entry): Just leave a comment below.

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Good luck! Contest ends Friday, February 5th. I'll send the DVD out by Monday, February 8th to the winner.

Winnie the Pooh: A Valentine for You Special Edition is available for U.S. $29.99 from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. I received a copy for this review, which I am giving away on the blog in this contest.