For week 1 of Camp Warner Bros., we were super busy with Super Hero Training. In honor of LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters, we were tasked with super hero training. Guys, it’s like we’ve been training for this our whole lives!
Since we were traveling and visiting family this week, we were still able to squeak in our training and then some. We loved the way Batman led the training and kept us excited about becoming superheroes. Josh is well versed in superhero training since he’s always “on guard” with his super hero imagination, he absolutely loved this task! And what a perfect task it was to get us pumped for LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters. We can’t wait to watch this one! Check out the description below!
About LEGO® DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters:
10-year-old Billy Batson shouts a single word and, with lightning bolts flashing, he transforms into Shazam!, a full-fledged adult Super Hero. It doesn’t take long for Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman and the rest of the Justice League to take notice and invite the earnest do-gooder to join the team. But to become a member, Billy must reveal his true identity. While fighting off the evil Mr. Mind and Black Adam, Billy learns that he must trust others – and that nothing creates trust like helping those in need. Join the good fight with this giant-sized LEGO DC adventure!
Happy summer, friends! I’m sure you guys are just as thrilled for the summer as we are! After all that distance learning and pandemic teaching, I’m so excited to let loose and enjoy these carefree summer days.
Since most of our camps and activities for the summer have been canceled, we’ve been on the hunt for fun activities. Well, lucky us, we were invited to participate in Camp Warner Bros! With Camp Warner Bros, we’ll be doing various activities and checking out several Warner Bros movies and shows over the next few weeks.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be checking out LEGO DC, Steven Universe, We Bare Bears: The Movie and so much more. With each movie or show, we’ll be sharing a fun activity with you! I plan to share our shenanigans over on TikTok, so be on the look out over there!
Our first activity was a super fun tie die kit with our camp shirts. I love how they turned out—so much so, we did a TikTok to show them off! Be sure to follow along on the #CampWarnerBros hashtag.
When it comes to fighting forest fires, Sup and his crew are the best of the best—that is, until they’re put to the test. In Playing with Fire, John Cena’s Superintendent Jake Carson is a tough character who doesn’t like to let his guard down. His crew is equally resilient, astute and comedic to boot. When given their toughest test yet, the crew is tasked with watching over three kids who happen to have their own hurdles to overcome.
Playing with Fire is a hilarious and family-friendly comedy that boasts some of the funniest actors in the business, including Judy Greer as Dr. Amy Hicks, Keegan-Michael Key as Mark and John Leguziamo as Rodrigo. Together with the well rounded kid actors, the vulnerable Dennis Haysbert and star, John Cena, Playing with Fire has all the elements to make the whole family smile and crack up over these shenanigans.
Because of Playing with Fire’s family-centric storyline and target audience, Paramount Studios invited me, along with several fellow bloggers and their families to interview the cast and director Andy Fickman. Instead of us bloggers queuing up the questions, we took seats in the back rows and let the kids take the reigns. And what a treat that was!
We all know that Keegan-Michael Key is a riot and that John Cena is a talented entertainer, but I loved listening to the kids interact with the kid actors.
When asked if any past experiences helped with the role in Playing with Fire, Christian Convery shared how he learned how to act improved because of Keegan and everyone else on this show.
Of course, there were laughs when John Cena rebutted and said that Christian didn’t learn to act from him!
Speaking of acting, as a perpetual entertainer who is laying his stake in family friendly films, I appreciated when one of the kids asked John Cena why he transitioned from fighting to acting. Cena’s answer was so diplomatic and relatable for the kids to understand. The kid reporter shared that he was born in 2008 when John asked his birthday.
“By the time you were born I believe I had already won seven WWE championships and I had been wrestling full time for close to seven years. So, I’ve been wrestling for 17 years. And I’d love to keep doing it forever and ever. But you have like 200 matches a year and man, I’m–I just don’t know if I can have 200 matches a year anymore. So, I really enjoy storytelling and I enjoy entertaining audiences and having fun. Movies is a different way to do that.”
The overflowing soap suds scene in the firehouse was one of our absolute scenes from the film. And, not surprisingly, it attracted questions from the kids, including my own! Jack asked a rather introspective question: when the soap and the suds get everywhere the little boy owned up to his mistake. Have any of you owned up to like a very big mistake?
Keegan-Michael Key had the best answer that could totally double as a parenting reminder: “Owning up to mistakes, I mean, I feel like I do it every day. Feel like I’m owning up to some mistake every day. Cause it’s very good to say–to hold yourself accountable for your actions because then you can learn from them. And also, it helps wipe the slate clean every day if you–if you really do it. And, the only key to it really, I think, is that you just have to really be sincere.”
And to round out this fun press junket for Playing with Fire, my sweet Josh, despite his speech delay, was unfazed and asked the actors what their favorite part of the movie was.
The most memorable answer, of course, came from the littlest kid actor, Finley Rose, without hesitation said: When John Cena made pooping in the woods.”
Brave firefighters, angsty teens, crazy action scenes, silly comedy and poop: what more can a kid ask for in a movie!?
Playing with Fire is in theaters on November 8.
Full disclosure: I was invited by Paramount Studios to participate in this press junket. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.
In case you missed it: Hotel Transylvania 3 is out on Blu-Ray/DVD. And just in time since it’s Friday! And after this doozy of a week, we’re in need of a family movie as much as ever.
Drac and his pals are back for some fun and shenanigans, but this time they’re on a hauntingly fun adventure! Just like the previous installments of this fun family flick, Adam Sandler lends his voice and humor to bring Drac to life. Selena Gomez is the voice for Mavis. Hotel Transylvania 3 features an all-star cast of voices.
The boys and I loved this crazy and off the wall voyage. It’s so silly and ridiculous, you can’t NOT laugh!
Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury, haunted monster cruise ship. Of course, the rest of the Drac Pack has to tag along, and that’s when things get a little…batty. The monsters are having a great time, indulging in all of the shipboard fun the cruise has to offer, from monster volleyball to colossus-sized buffets and exotic excursions, but then the unexpected happens when Drac falls for the ship’s mysterious (and dangerous) human captain Ericka. The third film in this family-friendly monster franchise is the best reviewed installment and you’re invited along on the haunted cruise vacation!
In addition to the hysterical feature film, there are some equally funny bonus material, a “Plan Your Own Spook-tacular Sleepover” feature and “Vampire Make Over: Mavis and Drac Tutorial,” and go behind-the-scenes to explore the amazing talent who bring these characters to life in “Behind the Screams – The Voices of Hotel Transylvania 3.
Hotel Transyvlania 3 is out on Blu-Ray/DVD now and on digital.
In the works for seven years, The Greatest Showman, is the story that captures the essence of P.T. Barnum and his legacy as a showbusiness trailblazer. In what was one of the most engaging press junkets I’ve participated in yet, I was enchanted by the entire cast and creators behind this film. Though my review of the film is embargoed until tomorrow, I will say, however, that I have not stopped thinking about or singing The Greatest Showman.
Hugh Jackman and Following Your Passion
Larger than life, much like the character whom he portrays, Hugh Jackman was the first actor who arrived to our junket. Sharply dressed for the evening’s events, Jackman started off by telling the group how the journey to creating The Greatest Showman began seven years ago.
Jackman was approached by producers, Larry Mark and Bill Condon, to do an original movie musical. “And they had idea of P.T. Barnum, which I thought was perfect for a musical. I do think when you have a character who’s in the world of show biz, who’s larger than life, it lends itself to a musical.”
The face of the film, Jackman takes on what is, quite possibly, one of the roles of his lifetime. He showcased his vocal chops, strength as a dancer, range as an actor and solidified his role as a versatile entertainer while portraying the unstoppable P.T. Barnum.
He shared how his passion for dance and the stage has a parallel to one of the messages of the film:
“Actually owning up to the things that you love, the music that you like, the food you want to eat, who your friends are, the things you want to do whether it’s cool or not, that is where the joy of life is. And really should be your marker for your path. And I can speak, unfortunately from experience, of not always listening to that.
When I was 11, a teacher told me I had talent as an dancer. You should dance. I told my dad and he told me to go and get dance lessons. My brother overheard and said, “Ah, you sissy. You sissy.” And I was 10 or 11 at the time. And so, I didn’t do dancing. And then when I went to see 42nd Street with my dad and my brother, I was 18. And at interval, my brother came up to me and said, “I said something really stupid to you years ago. You belong on the stage and you should go and get dancing lessons.”
The Different Dimensions of Zac
Zac Efron, who most recently starred in comedies such as Neighbors, Neighbors 2 and Baywatch, rose to fame portraying Troy Bolton in Disney’s High School Musical series in 2006-2008. Efron secured his triple threat status in the revival of Hairspray in 2007.
During the junket for The Greatest Showman, Efron’s casual entrance shifted the tone for the interview. His laid back and warm demeanor was a contrast to the privileged, yet unhappy Phillip Carlyle. Efron was attracted to The Greatest Showman because it was a “merging of worlds”…that evokes a “modern sensibility and it’s about issues that mean a lot to us today.”
When asked if he was looking to star in a musical, Efron answered: I’m always looking “where can I find the next way to integrate music and that sort of song and dance side of me into my work and where will it be effective.”
“And in Hugh’s portrayal of P.T. Barnum, I felt like it would be effective. It could work through–Phillip could be a conduit to help show the magic of what P.T. Barnum did as a showman.
And really, what Hugh does as a person in real life, and I’m here at a standing testament to it, he’s, like, one of the best teachers and, like, showmen in the world, literally. He quite literally is the most versatile probably actor alive—.”
Truly a wise talent and a multi-dimensional actor, Efron’s portrayal of Carlyle is engaging and showcases his broad vocal range and dance capabilities. Truth be told, I was caught off guard by how much I enjoyed Efron in The Greatest Showman. I not only adored his character’s trajectory, but felt that this role showcased his vocal talent and strength as a dancer.
Zendaya: Strong, Poised and Vocal
Zendaya is one of the young actors that I’ve been admiring from afar over the years. As a Disney loving family, we’ve probably watched every episode of Shake it Up and K.C. Undercover. The strong, sassy and diverse characters that she’s portrayed on Disney have helped her to catapult onto the big screen.
The Greatest Showman is her second film, but you would’ve never known it by the way she takes on aerialist Anne Wheeler.
Zendaya says she was attracted to playing Anne because she is the natural leader of the so-called Oddities. “To me, Anne is very confident, very poised and very comfortable in her own skin.”
It’s important to note that the 20-year old Zendaya has used her platform to voice her stance on important issues such as equality, diversity and helping the less fortunate.
As a true fan of this rising star who embraces her responsibility as an influential person who also happens to be biracial, I was so disappointed that I didn’t get a chance to personally ask Zendaya a question. However, when a question came up about what the actors hope that young people would take away from the film, I loved what Zendaya had to say:
“As a millennial or someone that young people look to, it’s a lot of responsibility. And I try to take it that way. Some people like to look at it as a pressure and a negative thing, and I think it’s positive thing. It means 40 million people that I can positively affect, you know?
And I think that what I think my message is and what aligns with this movie is it’s not telling you to be a certain way, right? We’re not saying this is how you should be.
It’s saying we want you to be the best version of yourself.”
Undeterred by boundaries, Zendaya, quite literally, reached for the stars as aerialist Anne Wheeler. In their duet “Rewrite the Stars” Zendaya and Efron worked beautifully to harmonize vocally and physically. The duo complemented each other well and did their own stunts. Zendaya emphasized, “I think that was the cool part about it, is we kind of had the freedom to just kind of go for it and just have some fun.”
Pasek and Paul: Songwriting Masterminds
Though the film takes place in the 19th century, the design music and choreography helped to make this period piece into a relevant movie musical.
At the genesis of the film, Benj Pasek and Justin Paul were up and coming songwriters. They had yet to hit it big when they signed on with The Greatest Showman. Pasek and Paul have since added quite a few more songs to their portfolio, not to mention an Academy Award and Golden Globe for “City of Stars” from La La Land and a Tony for the Best Original Score for Dear Evan Hansen.
The songwriting duo do not disappoint with the original music for The Greatest Showman. The musical features 10 original songs with varying tempos, but retain fluidity within the storyline. From the opening scene that introduces the anthem and title song, “The Greatest Show,” the lyrics help to unveil the story, where stacatto vocals articulate the grandeur, and the chorus leads to a transition and a melodic foreshadowing.
Since I’m one of the last people on Earth who has yet to see La La Land or Dear Evan Hansen, The Greatest Showman was my first experience to fully enjoy Pasek and Paul’s songwriting. Immediately downloading the soundtrack the night after screening the film and before our junket, I was hooked!Truly smitten by Pasek and Paul’s work in The Greatest Showman, I didn’t hesitate when it came to asking about their musical influences. The original music in The Greatest Showman is influenced by so many genres and artists. The song, “The Greatest Show” is the only song that they co-wrote with someone else; they wrote it with Ryan Lewis of Macklemore and Lewis fame. Director Michael Gracey insisted upon an anthem type feel, much like a Queen song, where the crowd would stomp and clap their hands to the beat.
Though all of the songs evoke their own style, it’s clear that they were influenced by many contemporary artists. Pasek and Paul said that influence in their original music came from artists like Ingrid Michaelson, Imagine Dragons, Billy Joel, among others.
Keala Settle’s Film Debut in The Greatest Showman
One of the many shining stars of the film, Keala Settle plays Lettie Lutz, also known as the bearded lady. Settle, who makes her film debut in The Greatest Showman is no stranger to the stage. Settle is an accomplished actor on Broadway, playing Becky in the stage musical “Waitress,” among other notable roles. One of the most important themes of The Greatest Showman is acceptance and inclusion despite your differences.
Settle, who revealed her fears about the role: “I was so petrified because this is my first major motion picture in a role that I didn’t know was going to be what it is. I had no idea. It changed over the course of how it was created as we were creating, you know, in rehearsals and stuff like that before we started initial photography. And the bigger that it got for me, the scarier that it got because I wanted to hide even more. And I am still, even sitting here in front of you, fighting that right now.”
The entire cast is phenomenal in their own rite, Settle nailed her first film. Her song, “This is Me,” is a relatable ballad for anyone who’s ever felt different or had to overcome a hardship. Her performance is one of the most memorable moments of the film. She is one of the breakout stars of the film; “Look out because here I come…”
From the music, to talent of the ensemble cast to the choreography to the relevant and relatable themes, The Greatest Showman is undoubtedly a film like no other. The positive undertones and dreamer mentality make The Greatest Showman a fun film for people of all ages.
Though this film has been in the works for seven years, The Greatest Showman embraces so many important themes that are more relevant than ever: inclusion, diversity, dream big, among other topical issues.
When asked what was his biggest takeaway from the film, Jackman said it best:
“I love the message of this movie, of accepting ourselves for who we are and what we love and the things that really make us feel passionate and not worry about what anyone else thinks.”
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to be enchanted by the magic of showbusiness. The Greatest Showman is in theaters December 20th.
This Christmas, dare to dream anything. The #GreatestShowman opens a world of imagination, in theaters December 20. TheGreatestShowmanTickets.com
“The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. “The Greatest Showman” is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land”) and starring Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman. Jackman is joined by Zac Efron, Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
Genre: Musical
Directed By: Michael Gracey
Screenplay By: Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon
Story By: Jenny Bicks
Produced By: Laurence Mark, p.g.a, Peter Chernin, p.g.a, Jenno Topping, p.g.a
I was hosted by Momentum Films for the Fun Mom Dinner press junket.
In Momentum Film’s Fun Mom Dinner, a normal night out with mom friends is challenged when fun is redefined. Navigating motherhood with school-aged children is no easy feat. In fact, the movie industry has created a funny dialogue about modern parenting and the comedy that ensues when moms take on life with kids.
When Emily (Katie Aselton), Kate (Toni Collette), Melanie (Bridget Everett) and Jamie (Molly Shannon) gather for a night out, the night goes from innocent conversation and lamenting about parenthood into overdrive with some questionable, but hilarious behavior.
Written by Julie Rudd, directed by Alethea Jones, Fun Mom Dinner features an all-star cast of funny comedians: Katie Aselton, Toni Collette, Bridget Everett and Molly Shannon. Made by women for women, Fun Mom Dinner exudes a unique energy that is reflective of the passionate creators in front of the camera, as well as behind the scenes.
Fun Mom Dinner is a fun, sometimes impossible flick that’s perfect for a girls’ night out. Plus, Adam Levine’s in it! Hello!
As a mom who had an identity before kids, I can definitely relate to a few of the characters portrayed in Fun Mom Dinner. As someone who’s often reluctant to go beyond my usual circle of friends, I definitely related to Kate and Emily’s plight in Fun Mom Dinner. The ensemble cast made the laughs and ridiculousness seem effortless.
Last week, i was invited to take part in a media junket with the cast, director, writer and producer of Fun Mom Dinner.
It was so great hearing from these funny women and to get their thoughts on parenting and how they enjoy having a good time.
What I loved was how each actress has a distinctly different comedic background. In fact, I loved how Toni Collette recounted her first experience with getting acquainted with Bridget Everett.
“I got the script and Bridget was attached, but I was unfamiliar with her work. So, I thought I’ll just take a peek, and then I couldn’t stop reading it. So, I loved it and immediately wanted to do it.
But then I looked at a link to Bridget in her prime on YouTube, and I was so blown away. I was sitting in a hotel room by myself, like, with tears running down my face laughing my ass off. “
The ensemble cast enjoyed the unique timeframe and the fact that they filmed at night.
Colette said, “And working together exceeded any expectation I could have had. It was so much fun. We shot all nights because it’s a movie about dinner, not about brunch. And even though it was a little exhausting, it really was such a highlight.”
Since the actresses portrayed moms of different walks of life, one of the bloggers at the junket asked a great question about what advice they’d give other moms.
One piece of advice that’s on my personal radar is what Molly Shannon shared: “I read this amazing book called Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety. It’s fantastic.
But basically it’s about how women can be really hard on other women. And there’s women who work, women who don’t work, and there’s a lot of insecurity about these choices.
I loved what Katie Aselton’s advice for other moms.
“Shaking the pressure to be that women that everyone looks at and says, “How does she do it?” I feel like we do that to ourselves a lot.
But, perhaps, the most hilarious piece of advice came from Bridget Everette who is a mom to a pup, Poppy. When asked about how she unwinds, Bridget said:
‘It’s similar to Pilates, but I get a pineapple and I cut it up into tiny little pieces and then I put them in a bottle of Tito’s, and then I freeze it. And then at 5:00 I shake it up. I put it on some ice and I drink my pini-tini. That’s it, just pineapple, ice, and vodka. It couldn’t be easier.”
Fun Mom Dinner is now in select theaters and On Demand; find it on iTunes.
Full disclosure: I was a guest of Momentum Films as part of the Fun Mom press junket. I did not receive monetary compensation. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.
Deep within our smartphones, a world of technology and emojis comprise a complicated and quirky world, according to Sony Pictures Animation’s new film, The Emoji Movie. While humans have never been more connected, the Emoji Movie divulges how the Emojis and the other citizens of Textopolis are disconnected in more ways than one.
The Emoji Movie features the voices of T.J. Miller, James Corden, Anna Faris, Maya Rudolph, Steven Wright, Jennifer Coolidge, Jake T. Austin, Christina Aguilera, Sofia Vergara and Sir Patrick Stewart, and is directed by Tony Leondis.
When the Meh Emoji, voiced by the hilarious T.J. Miller, is introduced at the beginning of the film, we learn that Gene (Meh) is anything but unimpressed about life. The Emojis are encouraged to maintain their one emotion and persona at all times, but Gene, an Emoji full of other emotions can’t help but reveal his true personality and range of other emotions. When Gene is tapped with putting his best ‘meh’ face when his user, Alex (Jake T. Austin,) needs him during a text conversation with a girl he likes, he freaks out and reveals his imperfections.
Gene is then deemed a glitch by the Emoji leader, the superficial Smiler, voiced by Maya Rudolph. Threatened by Gene’s imperfections, Smiler enlists bots to destroy Gene, who, is then forced to run from Textopolis. On the lamb, Gene meets some fellow outcasts, including Hi-5 (James Corden) and the anti-conformist Jailbreak (Anna Faris).
The Emoji Movie examines the importance of friendship, loyalty and being true to yourself. As emojis and texting continues to be method of communication for many people, regardless of age, The Emoji Movie has impeccable timing. In a world where social media clouds in-person dialogue and encourages the unnecessary need for online popularity, Gene’s quest for discovering his genuine self and realizing the importance of true friendships is a lesson for the ages.
The Emoji Movie is reminiscent of lighthearted storylines with an underlying message of other popular animated films like Wreck it Ralph and Inside Out. While there are so many parallels to other animated movies, The Emoji Movie conveys several important messages while telling a quirky story. The storyline line gets a bit complex and twisted at times, certainly much more verbose than a young grader schooler can comprehend. The literal bathroom humor and slapstick jokes might be enough to entertain the younger masses, and undoubtedly annoy the adult cynics. While it’s hard to take poop seriously, in this volatile climate in the “real world” this is exactly the kind of fun and comedy we need. The Emoji Movie was unexpectedly filled with more substance than I expected, and one that my kids can’t wait to watch.
In addition to screening the movie, along with several bloggers, Sony invited me, along with several fellow bloggers, to a series of interviews with the director and some of the talent.
In our world at the moment, there’s a movement where not caring is considered cool. Director Tony Leondis says, “we wanted to show the opposite, in that caring and connecting with people IS cool. Who needs that in this world? We have enough of that.”
As a parent of a tween who recently started to connect with his friends via texts on his iPod, internet safety and smart social media usage is more relevant than ever these days.
When asked about her thoughts on social media, cyber bullying and internet safety, Maya Rudolph, who voices the superficial and super-crazy Smiler, had a lot to say about parenting in the digital age.
“Being a parent today means you have to manage devices.” said Rudolph, a mom to 4 kids. “My kids are not on social media yet, but my daughter recently wanted to go on a site where she makes outfits. It gave me pause because there’s the anonymity aspect and option to give likes.” Rudolph went on to say that the need for likes and popularity contest isn’t something she wanted her kids exposed to at this age.
Amid the often crazy context and elaborate storyline, The Emoji Movie does a great job delivering the message to its core audience that friendship and relationships transcend “likes” and popularity online. Real people require real in-person connections and genuine emotions. For a kids’ movie, I expected silly laughs and quirky characters. While it probably won’t go down as the theatrical masterpiece of the year, The Emoji Movie might go down as the movie that provided a reminder for everyone to examine the true value of their relationships and ongoing social media behavior.
To take a page from page from Gene’s book, being different is what makes us who we are, so embrace the quirks that make you unique!
If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted animated flick that the kids will dig, check out The Emoji Movie! The Emoji Movie is officially out in theaters nationwide today, July 28.
Full disclosure: I was invited by Sony Pictures Animation to participate in a blogger roundtable. As always, all thoughts are my own.
Gru, the girls and the Minions are back with a brand new adventure in Despicable Me 3. The boys and I love the Minions and can’t wait to see this fun family film!
Over the past few months we’ve had a chance to get a glimpse of all the new Despicable Me 3 goodies! In honor of Despicable Me 3’s release, we’re sharing our thoughts on the Minions Talking Toothbrush from Colgate and Moose Toys’ Mineez!
Always a fan of innovative gear, we loved taking Colgate’s Minions Talking Battery Powered Toothbrush for a spin! This cool toothbrush has power that will give freshen up the kids’ toothbrushing routine. My little guy loved the Minions that talk when you push the button. The toothbrush helps kids with easy commands and which area of their mouths to tackle next. It’s totally genius!
Our friends over at Moose Toys have these cool new collectibles called Mineez that fit into that blind bag toy craze. Instead of bags, Mineez are in a plastic ball for kids to collect. We scored one of the cool vacation Minions, complete with hula skirt. I love the affordable price range of these fun new collectibles from Moose.
And in honor of Despicable Me 3 hitting theaters, we’ve got an awesome prize pack up for grabs! Please enter below to win this fun prize pack!
Disney’s latest live action film, Beauty and the Beast, is debuting today with much Disney fanfare. Cue #BeourGuest and sparkly costumes!When the teaser started to show online and on tv, generations were captivated, including the generation that grew up watching the iconic animated version. Today, those kids who watched Belle and Beast’s animated tale are now parents, and of course, the new film’s appeal is reaching a new generation in an epic way.
In celebration of the film’s release, we’re sharing some of our favorite toys and trinkets that we spotted at the 2017 Toy Fair here in NYC. The various companies that have the Disney license created magical toys to dazzle kids and engage in cool new ways.
Enchanting Melodies Belle Doll
Dressed in her gold ball gown, the Belle doll sings the “Something There” song from Disney’s live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. With one press of Belle’s stomach, she will sing of her budding love for the Beast in this classic song. Requires three A76 batteries, included. ($29.99/Available: Spring 2017)
Dance and Code Belle
Dance and Code Belle was one of my absolute favorite toys at Toy Fair, and perhaps my most favorite coding doll. This unique and gorgeous doll is inspired by Belle’s brains and graceful dancing. With an app, kids can code Belle’s dances and movements. I thought this was such a unique way to incorporate the tenets of STEAM and introducing coding.
Check out a video of Belle in action, as well as the other Beauty and the Beast dolls from Hasbro’s Toy Fair Showroom
Disney Beauty and the Beast Grand Romance
The deluxe duo 2-Pack includes a Belle doll dressed in a removable dress inspired by her yellow ball gown, Beast figure in his ballroom attire featuring a furry textured body, and fashion accessories. ($49.99) Available Spring 2017
Castle Friends Collection Small Doll Set
Once the human servants of the enchanted castle, the Disney Beauty and the Beast Castle Friends Collection Small Doll Set features five loyal friends to The Beast. The set features some of the characters from the live-action movie including Lumiere, Cogsworth, Chip, Mrs. Potts and Plumette. ($14.99) Available Spring 2017
Beauty and the Beast Village Belle Doll
The Village Belle doll wears the iconic blue dress inspired by the village scene in Disney’s live-action movie Beauty and the Beast. Kids, collectors, and fans of the timeless classic will love reliving their favorite moments and imagining their own stories. Includes Belle doll, outfit, and a pair of removable shoes inspired by her outfit in Disney’s live-action movie, Beauty and the Beast. ($14.99/available Spring 2017)
Funko Disney’s Belle, Beast and Gaston
Funko creates an expansive line of licensed vinyl figures, including many beloved Disney characters such as Belle and the Beast. I loved checking out the multiple iterations of these characters from their Pop! line of vinyl figures. With their over exaggerated animated features, these lovable collectibles are ideal for fans and kids alike. Now if only they had a LeFou character!
Have you seen Beauty and the Beast yet? If so, what did you love about it? More importantly, which toys are on yours and your kids’ wishlist?
A mysterious and surreal tale that celebrates peculiarity and the power of friendship, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children hits theaters on September 30. The film, directed by the illustrious Tim Burton and based on the best selling novel by Ransom Riggs, left me enchanted and wanting more of this incredible story. It was a vivid portrayal of good vs. evil and how finding your true self is just as important as making and creating lifelong friends.
When Jake discovers clues to a mystery that spans alternate realities and times, he uncovers a secret refuge known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As he learns about the residents and their unusual abilities, Jake realizes that safety is an illusion, and danger lurks in the form of powerful, hidden enemies. Jake must figure out who is real, who can be trusted, and who he really is.
This week, I had the unique opportunity to participate in a few roundtables with Ransom Riggs, the bestselling author of Miss Peregine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Colleen Atwood, the costume designer for the film and several stars of the film.
I enjoyed hearing what Ransom Riggs had to say on what seeing his book created into a film by Tim Burton.
Well, it helps when the person changing it is a director you’ve looked up to for 25 years. So, you know, if it had been anyone else, I might have been more nervous. But, I think also, I went to grad film school and I’m a total film nerd, and I’ve written screenplays that no one is going to buy or anything like that.But I’ve dabbled enough to–I think to have a good perspective on how much work needs to be done and adaptation to make it a genuinely satisfying cinema experience that stands alone as a movie. So, I totally respect that. And, yes, I don’t watch the movie and go what about this? What about that? I just try and remove myself as the author and say, “Am I enjoying this as a movie?” And, yes, absolutely, I think it works so well.
Because the film was set in modern day and then went back in a time warp, the costumes helped depict the story in such an eloquent way. Colleen Atwood had a unique task to create timeless and elegant costumes for this unique cast.
On her inspiration behind Miss Peregine’s beautiful look for the film:
Well, the main thing that, that Eva Green [Miss Peregrine] and I talked about was having the costume sort of have some kind of quality that was birdlike without saying I’m a bird. So she has such an amazing shape. I mean she has an amazing physique so she lends herself to that sort of slim kind of goth middle and the kind of pointy shoulder. She was a little bit pointy as a character. So, we kind of did those instead of doing a puff sleeve we did the points on her sleeves. I didn’t really want to put her in a black costume. I really badly wanted it to not be black, and, and I found this amazing piece of navy blue, navy blue wool crepe which is what I ended up making the costume on. And, then I sponged into it a little bit with a little bit of green and some other colors, like how feathers reflect different colors. So, you really probably don’t see it in the film in the sense. It only just keeps it from being a really flat surface to photograph. It makes it more interesting photographically, and inside her shoulders there is a little inset. There’s a box pleat. There’s a feather that’s embroidered in a metallic and silk thread that sort of–I like how animals in nature sometimes they have a little piece of color or something that’s sort of bright that their own species catch but other people don’t catch, and then sort of that was my inspiration for that in her costume. And, I wanted to make her long – her things are all pointed kind of like feathers, and her jacket goes down in a little V in the back that, that kind of helps sell bird a little bit without being too aggressively birdlike.
We also had the chance to talk to several of the actors from the film. Varying in age and experience, these young actors were all so well spoken and so some thoughtful things to say about their work on the film. We interviewed Asa Butterfield (Jake), Ella Purnell (Emma), Lauren McCrostie (Olive) and Finlay MacMillan (Enoch).
On their key takeaway from being in the film, Asa Butterfield said:
You make a lot of good friends in a film, with every film you do, because you’re working so closely with people for a long amount of time. You get close, and you’ve made these friends, and you probably, hopefully, going to know for the rest of your life.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children in in theaters September 30. Be sure to catch this amazing film!
Starring: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Chris O’Dowd, Ella Purnell, Allison Janney, Rupert Everett, Terence Stamp, with Judi Dench and Samuel L. Jackson Directed By: Tim Burton Rated PG-13
Full disclosure: I was invited by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporationto participate in this roundtable. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.
