Paddington 2 Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the movie I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

My boys loved the first "Paddington" movie and why wouldn't they? It was about an adorable bear and it was full of adventure. When they heard that we were going to receive a review copy of "Paddington 2" they could not wait for it to arrive in the mail. When it did arrive, we cuddled up on the couch and enjoyed a family movie night together. 

In this movie, Paddington has his eye on a birthday present for his Aunt Lucy and decides to earn money by getting a job. My boys loved watching Paddington try to be a barber and then a window washer and found his behavior at each job amusing. One night, however, Paddington discovers someone stealing the pop-up book he is saving to buy. He chases after him, but instead of the thief being caught, Paddington is arrested for the crime himself and put in jail. Fortunately, his family and his fellow inmates believe he is innocent, and in a combined effort, work to bring down the real criminal.

Both my boys loved the movie and my youngest laughed throughout. I loved watching the effect that Paddington has on the people he meets. Although, he can't please everyone, in most cases he is beloved by all. I did enjoy the movie, but I chuckled at times at a few of the unrealistic moments. For example, Paddington helps transition the jail he is assigned to into a cozier atmosphere with  tablecloths for dining and the prisoners creating meals. 

"Paddington 2" is full of adventures and laughs and is a great movie to share with your family. You can buy the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on April 24.

Oriental Trading Company- Candy Review

Disclosure: I received the following products in exchange for a review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

When asked to write a review for the Oriental Trading Company about their candy, I felt like a little kid in a candy store. Since there are so many options to chose from, it was hard to pick. As I browsed their website for candy, a few options stood out among the rest: lollipops, mints, and Valentine's Day candy.

Now you are probably wondering why I didn't mention chocolate. I love chocolate. However, I am a teacher and my students love it when I have lollipops for rewards. In particular, they love the Tootsie® Caramel Apple Pops. Now while these lollipops are available at some of my local stores, Oriental Trading Company is the only place that I have seen these lollipops offered in three flavors: Golden Delicious, green apple, and red Macintosh. These lollipops are always a hit with my students.

Besides the Tootsie® Caramel Apple Pops, I picked Charms® Mini Pops. The bag comes with approximately 325 pops in twelve flavors, including cotton candy which is a very popular flavor with my students. I also chose Dum Dums® because my youngest son absolutely loves them. Lollipops are they only candy he likes. I chose assorted Dum Dums® and others that came with Smarties®. What caught my eye, however, were the bags of solid color Dum Dums®. I chose the Blue Solid Color Dum Dums®, but there are a variety of colors to chose from including black and white. These would be perfect for any party with a color theme. The Blue Solid Color Dum Dums® are blueberry flavor.

The next thing I chose was candy for my kids to hand out on Valentines's Day. My middle son chose Wonka® Lik-m-aid®Fun Dip Valentine Candy Card Kits. For my youngest, we chose Lifesavers® Hard Candy Lollipops, as well as the Owl Lollipop Covers Craft Kit. My son enjoyed putting together the lollipop covers for his classmates and can't wait to pass these out to his friends. I think they are adorable. However, the Lifesavers® Hard Candy Lollipops did not fit good under the covers so we are going to use Dum Dums® instead. 

Of course, after picking out candy for my students and kids, I decided to pick one of my favorite mints for myself, Bobs Sweet Stripe Soft Peppermint Balls. I love these mints as they melt in my mouth.

With a large selection of candy that would be perfect for a party, holiday, your classroom, office, or home, check out the Oriental Trading Company.

National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day: 20% off Mrs. Fields

Today is National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and Mrs. Fields is celebrating with Angry Birds Cookie Cakes and Milk-&-Cookie Boxes. My boys love both cookies and Angry Birds so these would be a big hit with them. As a sweet treat, they are also offering 20% off from now until May 20 with the promo code: NCCCD. So if you need an excuse to indulge in a chocolate chip cookie, this is the perfect opportunity!

LEGO® Scooby-Doo!: Blowout Beach Bash!

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the movie I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

Synopsis: Scooby-Doo! and his pals Fred, Daphne, Velma and Shaggy are no strangers to solving spooky mysteries filled with all types of ghouls and goblins. This time is no different. As Scooby-Doo! and his friends are on their way to Blowout Beach for a real swinging beach party in the Mystery Machine, the Ghost Pirates threaten to ruin the gang's good vibes. It is up to Scooby and the gang to get the party back on track, without missing a beat.

Our thoughts: My boys are big fans of Scooby-Doo movies, so they were excited to hear that a new movie was being released. In LEGO® Scooby-Doo!: Blowout Beach Bash, the gang has decided to go to Blowout Beach to relax and have fun, but instead get swept away by another mystery. As they arrive at Blowout Beach, they learn that the Ghost Pirates have scared away the tourists and so it is time to investigate. 

We all found the movie entertaining and enjoyed a few surprises along the way.  In particular I liked the fact that Fred and Velma seem intent to find ways to relax and have fun, while Daphne, Shaggy, and Scooby are more interested in solving the mystery. We also loved trying to guess who the masked villains were and I'd say we were partially correct this time. Overall, we thought the movie was good. So if you are interested in buying this movie, it will be available tomorrow on Digital HD, Blu-ray™, and DVD.

The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-Wrestlemania! Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the movie I reviewed in this blog post. The opinions I share are my own.

Synopsis: Blast off to adventure in this all-new animated feature where our favorite space-age family, The Jetsons, meet the superstars of WWE! When George unearths WWE's Big Show, who has been frozen for 100 years, the futuristic face-off begins! Once thawed, Big Show wastes no time in taking the WWE Championship Belt from the current robot champ as well as taking control of Orbit City. It's up to The Jetsons to travel back in time and enlist help from WWE's brightest stars: Sheamus, Alicia Fox, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and the Uso brothers. Can this cosmic tag-team prevail and set this twisted time-warp straight? Tune it and see with The Jetsons and WWE!

Our thoughts:  My boys love wrestling, so although they have never seen The Jetsons before, they were excited to watch The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-Wrestlemania! As we began watching the movie, my boys were excited to see what wrestlers would appear. They were each happy to see one of their favorites in the movie. One enjoys watching Sheamus, while the other likes Vince McMahon. In the movie, my oldest son got a kick out of the idea that in the future humans are not expected to do much because robots pretty much do everything for you. My other son liked the idea that one of his favorite wrestlers was able to help save the day. For me, the best part of watching the movie was being able to share a cartoon from my childhood with my boys. 

Scooby-Doo Shaggy's Showdown Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the movie I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Press Release Synopsis: It's high action and spirited adventure when the Mystery Inc. gang visits the Crazy Q Dude Ranch, located in Sorghum City, an abandoned cowboy town-turned-tourist attraction. While visiting his cousin Tawny, Shaggy and his pals discover that the Crazy Q Dude Ranch, owned by Tawny's family is tormented by a ghostly cowboy named Dapper Jack Rogers, an ancestor who bears a striking resemblance to Shaggy!

The gang soon learns that Dapper Jack's ghostly apparition has frightened most of the visitors from the ranch and nearby Sorghum City, forcing many businesses in the area to close. Without any tourists, the Crazy Q Dude Ranch, which has been struggling, is sure to close its doors. Unless Tawny raises enough money for the next mortgage payment, the family business will be sold. 

Determined to save his cousin's ranch, Shaggy puts the Mystery Inc. gang on the case, and together they set out to solve the mystery behind Dapper Jack's haunting. It's an unforgettable adventure set in the wild West, filled with rodeos, barn dances and non-stop cowboy high-jinks!

Our thoughts: My boys love Scooby-Doo movies, so of course they wanted to review the movie Scooby-Doo Shaggy's Showdown. I was a little skeptical, as I am not really interested in Western movies. I'm glad they convinced me because I did enjoy the movie. As always, it doesn't matter where the gang goes, a mystery is sure to follow. In this movie, I liked how the masked villain looked like Shaggy's ancestor Dapper Jack. I also liked the fact that being a cowboy came naturally to Shaggy, who is able to use his cowboy skills to help save the day. This was a great family-friendly movie to watch with my boys and it kept us entertained from the beginning to the end.

Oriental Trading Company Halloween Costume Review

Disclosure: I received the following products in exchange for a review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

Fall has arrived and with it comes thoughts of carving pumpkins and picking out Halloween costumes. While some years choosing a Halloween costume is difficult, this year it was easy. Two of my boys found the costume they wanted at the Oriental Trading Company. 

I always enjoy reviewing products from the Oriental Trading Company. I love that their website offers a variety of party supplies, teacher supplies, toys and games, crafts, and holiday products including Halloween costumes. Last year, my youngest son wore an adorable Mickey Mouse costume from the Oriental Trading Company and this year he picked out Olaf.

This costume is actually listed as a girls Halloween costume, but I do not think it matters. In my opinion he looks adorable! It is a little big on him since I chose the child size 4-6x, but I figure it will allow him to use it for a while. This costume comes in two pieces. There is the jumpsuit with a foam overlay and the headpiece. He is so happy to be Olaf this year!

My middle son decided to be the WWE wrestler Rey Mysterio this year. When the costume came in the mail he was excited to try it on. His costume came with the pants, mask, and the muscle chest shirt.  Just look at all those muscles!

Although October has just started, Halloween will be here before you know it. If you are looking for that perfect Halloween costume or any type of Halloween supply, check out the Oriental Trading Company. 

Scooby-Doo and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the movie I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Press Release Synopsis: When Scooby and the gang attend an off-road racing competition, the last thing they expect to stumble upon is a menacing phantom. However, before they can say "ruh-roh," things take a turn for the worse, as Inferno schemes to sabotage the race and cause chaos for everyone. With the help of WWE Superstars Triple H, Paige and Sheamus, as well as Scooby's new driving partner, The Undertaker, it's up to Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. gang to save the race before it's too late!

With a star-studded voice cast, including WWE Superstars The Undertaker, Triple H, Paige, Sheamus, Mr. McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Lana™, Rusev^®, The Miz^®, Kofi Kingston^®, and Goldust^®, this action-packed film is a can't miss! Bonus materials include two episodes from fan-favorite series, Be Cool Scooby-Doo! and Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated, and exclusive content containing a behind-the-scenes segment featuring Scooby-Doo Monster Jam truck drivers. Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon is a film that Scooby and WWE fans alike can enjoy!

Our thoughts:  My boys loved Scooby-Doo! Wrestlemania Mystery, so they were excited to hear that Scooby-Doo and WWE were going to team up again in a new movie. In Scooby-Doo and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon, my boys were thrilled to see that The Undertaker and Sheamus would be featured in the movie. Not only was the movie entertaining, but it kept us guessing as to who was the masked villain. I have to say that we were all surprised this time when the villain was revealed! Both my boys thought the movie was awesome and we can't wait to see what the next adventure will be for the Mystery Inc. gang.

Peppa Pig Sunny Vacation DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion.

Press Release Synopsis: 

It's time for a special Family Holiday! Celebrate the summer as we come along with Peppa, George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig on a Sunny Vacation abroad. Peppa is enjoying all of the sights and sounds of Italy, but she also can't wait to go home and see her friends!

"Peppa Pig Sunny Vacation" on DVD is packed with excitement as Peppa and her family set off on their trip across Italy. Kids and parents alike will love the four-part sunny special with 8 additional super fun-filled Peppasodes!

Our thoughts: My four-year old loves Peppa Pig! He has many of the toys including Peppa's house, car, and camper van, and he even had a Peppa Pig birthday party this year. When "Peppa Pig Sunny Vacation" came in the mail he was excited to watch our new DVD. I think his favorite episodes were the first four where Peppa and her family travel to Italy. We just came back from our own vacation, so I think he could relate to her trip. As we watched these episodes, we talked about how we had just been to the airport and flew on a plane for our vacation. While it seemed that his favorite episodes were the first four, all 12 episodes are sure to entertain any fan of Peppa Pig.

Summer Products at the Oriental Trading Company

Disclosure: I will be receiving products in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own.

School has been out for a week and I have enjoyed spending time with my boys relaxing and being lazy. However, it has given me time to realize that I need to find fun ways to keep my boys entertained throughout the summer so that they do not spend all of their time watching TV or playing video games.

As I thought about ideas for my boys, I thought about crafts and outside activities. This coincided perfectly with an email I received from the Oriental Trading Company asking if I would be interested in writing about some of their summer products. Every time I browse their website, I am always amazed at how many products they offer. As I looked for both crafts and outside activities, the following products caught my eye:

1) Glow Products: With July 4th right around the corner, glow products would be perfect to have on hand and the Oriental Trading Company has a variety of them. They have necklaces, bracelets, yo-yos, sunglasses, tattoos, slime, and more for a total of 334 products. My boys would have a blast with any of these glow products.

2) Outdoor Products: As I checked some of their summer toys and games, I found quite a few products that would keep my boys busy this summer. My youngest would love the beach balls, parachutes, beach toys and bubbles. My older two boys would have a blast with the squirt guns and water balloons.

3) Summer Crafts: My youngest, who is four years old, keeps me very busy and so I thought it would be a great idea to do a few crafts with him this summer.  A few  that caught my eye were the Fabulous Foam Super Sunglasses Kit, the Colorful Turtle Tissue Paper Craft Kit, and the You Are My Sunshine Sign Craft Kit.

After checking out their summer products, I now have some ideas on ways to keep my kids busy this summer. I also plan to check out their project ideas from time to time in hopes for a little inspiration as well. So if you are looking for some fun summer items or just looking for project ideas,  check out the Oriental Trading Company.

Adventures in Babysitting Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Press Release Synopsis:

"Adventures in Babysitting," inspired by the hugely popular 1980s film of the same name, is an upcoming Disney Channel Original Movie starring Sabrina Carpenter (of Disney Channel's hit comedy series "Girl Meets World" and Sofia Carson (of the hit Disney Channel Original Movie "Descendants"). In "Adventures in Babysitting," a dull evening for two competing babysitters, Jenny (Sabrina Carpenter) and Lola (Sofia Carson), turns into an adventure in the big city as they hunt for one of the kids who somehow snuck away.

Our thoughts: Our family loves the show "Girl Meets World" and we are fans of Sabrina Carpenter, so we were excited to watch the newest Disney Channel Original Movie "Adventures in Babysitting." My boys and I watched it for a family movie night and we all enjoyed the movie. It definitely entertained us as we watched the two babysitters, Jenny and Lola, try to find Trey who snuck out his window and went into the big city. It is here in the city, where their adventure really begins. Even when Trey is found, their adventure continues as they try to make it home before the parents of the kids return. This is no easy task when the car they were driving is towed and they need to find $100 to get it back. It seems to be one mishap after another which kept us interested to see how the movie ended.

Although there were lots of great moments throughout the movie, our favorite part was when both Jenny and Lola rapped about their predicament. You can watch this rap in the video below. This movie is family friendly, entertaining, and is sure to keep you wondering what could possible happen next? If you are interested in this movie, it comes out on DVD on June 28.

Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood DVD Review

Disclosure: Warner Bros. Home Video provided me with some of the materials I used in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Press Release Synopsis:

In LEGO^® Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood, the gang heads to the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood, where they take a tour of the legendary Brickton Studios, a historic Hollywood movie studio. While visiting the lot, the gang is surprised to find the once powerful film studio has fallen onto hard times. Neglected and in disrepair, Brickton, which has lost its luster, now faces threats of closure and an impending sale to greedy developers who want to tear it down. 

To top it off, the Mystery Inc. gang discovers that the studio’s backlot is haunted by the ghost of Boris Karnak, a famous, old-time movie actor who has been making ghostly appearances in the roles he once made famous – including the Headless Horseman, the Mummy and the Zombie. The ghostly sightings have frightened away the cast and crew of Brickton’s latest film production, which was the studio’s final effort in trying to save the company from going under. Now with production halted on the movie which was supposed to rescue Brickton from its demise, it looks as though the famous backlot is destined to fall into the hands of the developers after all. Will it be a wrap for Brickton or will Scooby and the gang find a way to help the studio achieve box-office success? It’s a “bricktacular” adventure no Scooby-Doo! fan will want to miss! 



Our thoughts: Since my boys love Legos and they also love Scooby-Doo, I knew that they would be excited to watch Lego Scooby-Doo!: Haunted Hollywood. Some weekends seem so busy, but this weekend we made the time to sit down and watch the movie. Both of my boys, as well as myself, enjoyed the movie. I'm always entertained with the different traps that Fred comes up with, as well as trying to guess who the villain or villains may be. I love watching Scooby-Doo with my boys, because it reminds me of watching it as a child. This movie comes out on Blu-ray Combo, DVD, and Digital HD on May 10.

"Pan" Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie. 

Press Release Synopsis:

Peter (Levi Miller) is a mischievous 12-year-old boy with an irrepressible rebellious streak, but in the bleak London orphanage where he has lived his whole life those qualities do not exactly fly. Then one incredible night, Peter is whisked away from the orphanage and spirited off to a fantastical world of pirates, warriors and fairies called Neverland. There, he finds amazing adventures and fights life-or-death battles while trying to uncover the secret of his mother, who left him at the orphanage so long ago, and his rightful place in this magical land. Teamed with the warrior Tiger Lily (Rooney Mara) and a new friend named James Hook (Garrett Hedlund), Peter must defeat the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Hugh Jackman) to save Neverland and discover his true destiny - to become the hero who will forever be known as Peter Pan.

Our thoughts: My boys have always been a fan of the movie Peter Pan, so it was no surprised that they would be interested in "Pan". I have to admit, I was looking forward to watching the movie too. I wanted to see how the story of Peter Pan began. It was an interesting plot, with Peter befriending Hook in order to escape from Blackbeard to search for his mother. While searching for his mother, he embarks on an adventure that leads him to fight Blackbeard and save Neverland. My boys' favorite characters were both Hook and Blackbeard and my oldest wished the move could have been longer. We all enjoyed the movie and found it entertaining. It left me wondering, however, will there be a movie in the future that explains how Peter and Hook become enemies? If so, I would definitely be interested in watching that as well.

Oriental Trading Company Halloween Review

Disclosure: I received the following products in exchange for a review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the products.

Every year around September my boys start thinking about Halloween. This year was no exception. Finding the perfect costume is of utmost priority in their minds. Although my older boys had a tougher time deciding what to be, for my youngest the decision was an easy one: Mickey Mouse. This worked out perfectly since Oriental Trading Company asked me to write a review about their Halloween products and they happened to have a Mickey Mouse costume.

I have always enjoyed shopping at Oriental Trading Company. At Oriental Trading Company you can shop for craft and hobby supplies, toys and novelties, party supplies, teaching supplies, home decor, and holiday products. In the past, I never would have thought to shop at Oriental Trading Company for a Halloween costume, but now my mind is changed. They offer a variety of different costumes for kids and adults to choose from, as well as accessories and props.

When the Mickey Mouse costume came in the mail, my son was so excited to try it on. The costume is made up of a bodysuit with a cute bowtie, as well as Mickey Mouse ears. My son absolutely loved the costume and wore it around all night. If we let him, he would wear it every day.

Since my older boys will dress up with a cape from time to time, I asked to review the Superhero Cape and Mask set. I figured this way my youngest could have his own cape too. Although he was excited to try on the cape and mask, it was a little too big for him so we will have to save it for when he is older. However, I was able to have my middle son try on the cape for the picture above. I was a little surprised that the cape feels like it is made out of plastic, but I do like that it is reversible with blue on one side and red on the other. It is only $6.25 so it might make a great party favor.

Besides being able to buy costumes at Oriental Trading Company, they offer a large variety of candy and favors. When I checked out the candy selection, it was easy to choose which to review. Since I work with kids, I know some of their favorites: Toostie Caramel Apple Suckers and Dum Dums. The Toostie Caramel Apple Suckers cost $5.75 for 24 lollipops, while the Dums Dums cost $9.99 for 120 lollipops. Since the Tootsie Caramel Apple Suckers are hard to find in stores, I was thrilled that Oriental Trading Company has these on their website. Although to me they are a bit pricey, the kids absolutely love them and ask for them all of the time!

Besides candy, kids also love stickers. So the last item I chose to review was a roll of Prism Pumpkin stickers. Each sticker is on a perforated piece so this would be perfect to hand out on Halloween.

If you are looking for Halloween products, I would recommend Oriental Trading Company. They offer a variety of costumes and accessories, candy and favors, party decorations and supplies, holiday decor, and crafts. I think their prices are reasonable and from time to time they even offer free shipping.

Mike & Molly: The Complete Fifth Season

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD in exchange for this post. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinions of the show.

My husband and I both enjoy watching Mike & Molly. With a funny and talented cast, this show is always entertaining! If you haven't had a chance to watch the fifth season, here is the synopsis below.

Press Release Synopsis: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings the fifth season of the hilarious hit comedy Mike & Molly to DVD on August 18, 2015. It's a season full of laughs, challenges, and triumphs for one of TV's most lovable couples. With an advance on her first book, Molly (Emmy® winner Melissa McCarthy - Bridesmaid, The Heat, Spy) has become a real writer and must juggle the pressures of her publisher's deadlines with the challenges of writer's block. Meanwhile, Mike (Billy Gardell - My Name Is Earl, Jersey Boys) must deal with his too-close in-laws and the looming debt he and Molly will have to pay if she doesn't finish her book. Together, they embark on the next chapter of their lives as their crazy, hilarious love story continues to unfold. Mike & Molly: The Complete Fifth Season will retail for $24.98 SRP.

When she returns from the Iowa Writers' Workshop with a publisher's check in hand, it's official: Molly's a real writer! Now all she has to do is bang out that romance novel and start signing books. No sweat, right? As Molly struggles to cope with writer's block, her publisher's bizarre notes and stressful deadlines, her hubby feels the pinch. And with his in-laws living under the same roof and his partner dating Molly's sister, Mike's got his own world of drama to deal with. But when it comes to making true love work no matter what life throws in their way, this couple writes the book. Good times are here in all 22 Season Five episodes filled with life, laughs, and love.

Descendants DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Press Release Synopsis:

In a present day idyllic kingdom, the benevolent teenaged son of of the King and Queen (Beast and Belle from Disney's iconic "Beauty and the Beast" is poised to take the throne. His first proclamation: offer a chance at redemption to the trouble-making offspring of Cruella de Vil, Maleficient, the Evil Queen and Jafar who have been imprisoned on a forbidden island with all the other villains, sidekicks, evil step-mothers and step-sisters. These villainous descendants (Carlos, Mal, Evie and Jay, respectively) are allowed into the kingdom to attend prep school alongside the offspring of iconic Disney heroes, including Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Mulan. However, the evil teens face a dilemma. Should they follow in their nefarious parents' footsteps and help all the villains regain power or embrace their innate goodness and save the kingdom?

Our thoughts:  My boys love to watch the Disney Channel and were thrilled when they saw the trailer for Disney's Descendants. My oldest son is a fan of Disney villains, so this movie was sure to catch his interest. On July 31st, my boys and I sat down to watch Descendants for our family movie night and it met our expectations!

My family loves many of the Disney stories, but one of the reasons Descendants seemed so interesting is because of the focus on the villains' offspring. We are introduced to the children of some of our favorite Disney heroes and villains. My oldest son's favorite villains are Maleficient and Jafar, so it was perfect that this movie highlights the children of these two characters (Mal and Jay), as well as the children of Cruella de Vil and the Evil Queen (Carlos and Evie).

At first, Carlos, Mal, Evie, and Jay do not want to attend prep school, but they go with the plan to steal the Fairy Godmother's wand.  They believe that by stealing the wand they will make their parents proud. However, despite their evil plot, they start to find out that there are parts to the prep school that they enjoy. They also learn that just because their parents are evil, they do not have to follow in their footsteps.

I enjoyed not only the story and message of the movie, but the dancing and music as well. Since Mal made a comment at the end of the movie about it not being the end of the story, we can't wait to find out what's next. We felt that this movie was fantastic and we are hoping for a sequel!

Looney Tunes Rabbits Run DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie.

Press Release Synopsis:
What happens when Bugs Bunny becomes embroiled in a scheme surrounding the invention of a highly-sought after invisibility spray? The result is a mad-cap adventure set in New York City and Paris titled Looney Tunes Rabbits Run. This brand-new, original animated film will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) Aug 4, 2015 and will retail for $19.98 SRP.

In Looney Tunes Rabbits Run, Bugs Bunny is a New York City cabbie who picks up the beautiful but bumbling perfume salesgirl, Lola Bunny, after she's lost her job at a department store. Bugs, who drives Lola home from work in his taxi, has no idea he's about to embark in the longest ride of his life!

In her spare time, Lola is an amateur perfume maker who's convinced one day she'll concoct the world's most beautiful fragrance and sell it to the House of Moufette in Paris. Unbeknownst to Bugs, Lola, in one of her attempts to create the next big fragrance, has inadvertently invented an invisibility spray, and now the whole world is on their tails to steal her precious concoction!

On the run to Paris, Bugs and Lola must outsmart everyone from government officials, to Lola's greedy department store boss, Giovanni and even Yosemite Sam, all of whom are after Lola's "scent-sational" invisibility spray. Will Bugs help Lola thwart the bad guys and help her realize her dream of launching her own signature fragrance line? It's a heart-stopping, looney adventure that animation fans won't want to miss! Joining Bugs and Lola is a lineup of favorite Looney Tunes characters including Speedy Gonzalez, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn and many others.

Our thoughts: Last week for family movie night we watched Looney Tunes Rabbits Run. My boys have always been fans of Looney Tunes so I was not surprised that they enjoyed watching the movie. Throughout the movie, we loved seeing the appearance of so many different Looney Tunes characters.  My oldest son's favorite characters were Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, and Marvin the Martian, while my middle son's favorite character was Bugs Bunny. My boys found this movie funny and entertaining and gave it two thumbs up!

The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out Of Water Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the movie to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the movie. 

On a mission to save his world, SpongeBob SquarePants is headed to ours. When pirate Burger Beard (Antonio Banderas) steals the secret recipe for the beloved Krabby Patties, SpongeBob and friends come ashore to bring back the missing formula. To succeed, they must team up with former rival, Plankton, but soon realize that to defeat a super-villain, they must unleash their inner superheroes. 

Our thoughts: My two oldest boys are big fans of SpongeBob so they went to see The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water when it came out in theaters.  Since they loved the movie, they were thrilled when they found out that we were going to review the movie on Blu-ray and DVD.

Although they wanted to watch it the day it arrived in the mail, we waited until the weekend to watch it as a family. Not only did the movie capture their interest because they are fans of SpongeBob, but they loved the idea of the characters becoming superheroes. My oldest son's favorite character in the movie is Mr. Krabs, whose superhero character is a robot. My middle son's favorite character was Plankton whose superhero character is strong with huge muscles. I have to admit Plankton was probably my favorite too. I liked the idea that he decided to work with the team of SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and Mr. Krabs instead of against them. He even has a chance to keep the Krabby Patty Secret Formula but gives it back instead of being selfish.  Of course, when he returns to Bikini Botton, he goes back to being his old self. As far as my boys are concerned, the movie was awesome!

Win it: Paramount has offered to give away a copy of The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water to one lucky reader. Just enter below...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway will end on June 29, 2015 at 12:00 am(EST). The giveaway is open to US residents only- no PO Boxes. The winner will be chosen randomly and will be notified by email. The winner will then have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Teen Titans Go!: Appetite For Disruption Season 2 Part 1 DVD Review

Disclosure: I received a copy of the DVD to review. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own and are my honest opinion of the DVD. 

Teen Titans fans can relive the latest adventures when Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) releases Teen Titans Go!: Appetite for Disruption Season 2 Part 1 on DVD April 14, 2015. The two-disc DVD set is priced to own for $19.97 SRP and features over 4 hours of content on 2 DVD discs! Teen Titans Go!, which consistently ranked as the #1 show for kids 6-11 on Cartoon Network has been renewed for a third season of fun and mayhem.

In Season 2 Part 1, the Teen Titans return with a whole new bevy of baddies, beverages and adventures! Partner up with Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire and Beast Boy to defend Jump City against slimy monsters, tyrannical villains and of course, crime fighting induced hunger pains. Every vote counts when the Teen Titans hold team leader elections, Beast Boy dials up the "man-factor" with his new robotic limbs, while Raven races to save the cotton candy bushes from the Gumdrop Goblin. It's a titan red alert with 26 gut-punching, gut-busting adventures in this all-new collection.

Our thoughts: My boys absolutely love the show Teen Titans Go! I think the last time I checked, they had around 55 episodes saved on our DVR. So when I was asked to review the Teen Titans Go! Appetite For Disruption Season 2 Part 1 DVD, I knew that my kids would be excited. Although my kids love the show, this is really the first time that I sat down and watched some episodes with them. 

This cartoon focuses on five main characters. Robin is the leader of the Teen Titans. Starfire is an alien princess who is learning how to fit in on Earth. Cyborg is half human and half robot. Raven is a half demon, and Beast Boy can transform into any animal. My oldest son's favorite characters are Robin and Raven. He likes Robin because he is the leader of the group, and he likes Raven because she has magic. My other son's favorite character is Cyborg because he is a robot machine.

The two-disc DVD set contains 26 eleven minute episodes. One of my oldest son's favorite episode was called "Caramel Apples." In this episode Raven's demon father, Trigon, has arrived to destroy Jump City and the world because Raven did not get him a Father's Day present. When Raven tells Starfire why her father is upset, Starfire makes Trigon a picture which makes him happy. He stops trying to destroy the Earth and starts spending time with Starfire. This upsets Raven and she starts fighting with Starfire, which she soon discovers her father wanted her to do all along. The girls apologize to each other and send Trigon away.

This cartoon definitely entertains my boys, and now that they own a DVD with 26 episodes I can finally delete some of the shows on our DVR! If you have a Teen Titan Go! fan in your house, I would definitely recommend this DVD.