Dreamworks – The Next Kid Thing

Kid Shows and Movies We Can’t Wait to See in 2019

January 17, 2019January 17, 2019 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I don’t know about you, but we couldn’t wait to bid adieu to 2018. Now that the dust has settled from the holidays, and we’re a few weeks into 2019, I thought we’d share a few things we’re excited about for the coming year.

As it looks, 2019 is shaping up to be great year for shows and movies. Heres a quick run down on the just a few of the many movies and shows that has us popcorn-ready!

Captain Marvel

As huge Marvel fans, we were quite literally on the edge of our seats after Infinity War. The teaser at the end, that presumably alludes to Captain Marvel has us totally intrigued. I can’t wait to see how how this superhero fits into the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe!

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Set in the 1990s, Marvel Studios’ “Captain Marvel” is an all-new adventure from a previously unseen period in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe that follows the journey of Carol Danvers as she becomes one of the universe’s most powerful heroes. While a galactic war between two alien races reaches Earth, Danvers finds herself and a small cadre of allies at the center of the maelstrom.

The film stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Rune Temte, Algenis Perez Soto, Mckenna Grace, with Annette Bening, with Clark Gregg, and Jude Law.

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Captain Marvel is set to hit theaters on March 8, 2019.

Abby Hatcher-Nickelodeon

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Produced by Spinmaster Entertainment, the masterminds behind the Paw Patrol juggernaut, Abby Hatcher features a social-emotional curriculum highlighting empathy, compassion and problem-solving skills, or in other words, characteristics that even we could use as a refresher. As someone who is vigilant about reinforcing empathy and kindness into everyday scenarios, I can’t wait to see what Abby Hatcher teaches us.

The ever-optimist Abby loves to help those around her and chooses inclusion as her power of choice. The quirky show follows Abby and her Bff Fuzzly friend Boozzly as they problem solve their way to save the day.

Abby Hatcher can be watched on Nick Jr. Check local listings for times.

Dreamworks 3Below: Tales of Arcadia—Netflix

Technically released in 2018, Dreamworks’ 3Below has our sci-fi senses going. 3Below follows two royal teen aliens, Aja and Krel and their bodyguard Vex, as they flee their home planet and land themselves on Earth—in Arcadia, the same town where Trollhunters is centered,

Dreamworks 3Below The show follows how they blend in and adapt to a new world while repairing their ship to return and defend their planet. I love that this show features an all-star voice cast, including: Diego Luna (Narcos: Mexico), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation), Glenn Close (The Wife) and more.

3Below is now available on Netflix.

OddSquad—PBS

One of our all-time favorite PBS shows, Odd Squad will debut a brand new one-hour movie on January 21. I love that this award-winning show consistently puts out great content. We’re always anxious to see what the agents and Ms. O are up to over on Odd Squad.

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The new movie, ODD SQUAD: ODDS AND ENDS, will feature agents Olympia, Otis, Ms. O and Oona who are on the case to solve a string of break-ins at headquarters. When Olympia accidentally exposes a deep secret about Otis’ past, it sets off a series of events with the potential to unravel the entire agency.

The movie will air on PBS stations’ primary channels and on the PBS KIDS 24/7 channel (check local listings). ODD SQUAD: ODDS AND ENDS will also be available to stream for free starting January 21 on pbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video App, which is accessible on a variety of mobile devices and platforms.

Dumbo—Disney

The timeless animated classic, Dumbo, will be coming to life from Disney and visionary director Tim Burton. The live-action adventure Dumbo expands is taking the classic story where differences are celebrated, family is cherished and dreams take a flight.

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Circus owner Max Medici (Danny DeVito) enlists former star Holt Farrier (Colin Farrell) and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to care for a newborn elephant whose oversized ears make him a laughingstock in an already struggling circus. But when they discover that Dumbo can fly, the circus makes an incredible comeback, attracting persuasive entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton), who recruits the peculiar pachyderm for his newest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, Dreamland. Dumbo soars to new heights alongside a charming and spectacular aerial artist, Colette Marchant (Eva Green), until Holt learns that beneath its shiny veneer, Dreamland is full of dark secrets.

Dumbo hits theaters on March 29, 2019.

More than ever, kids’ content is available in theaters, tvs, online, devices and more. However you and your family digest family-centric content, I hope you enjoy all the wonderful movies and shows that are on the horizon this year. Let us know what you see!

Interview with Lucy Liu, one of the Stars of Kung Fu Panda 3

January 15, 2016 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Po and friends are back for Kung Fu Panda 3, and their adventures are as crazy as ever.

In Kung Fu Panda 3, Po reunites with his long lost father. Together, Po and his biological panda father travel to a secret panda paradise where he meets relatives and other panda characters. Things get dicey when the villain Kai threatens all the kung fu masters across China. Po is faced with trying to train the village, all of whom are challenged with coordination and motivation.

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I had the chance to get a glimpse of the film before it was finalized and I literally LOLed so many times. As part of this fun opportunity, I was invited to participate in an intimate roundtable with Lucy Liu, who voices Viper, one of the characters from the beloved Kung Fu Panda franchise.

As an Asian American mama, I was thrilled to have the chance to meet Lucy Liu, an actor and intelligent entertainer whom I’ve admired for years. I was curious about Liu’s background as a prominent Asian American actor and new mom so I asked her about race and her thoughts on her influence on the younger generation.

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NKT: I wanted to talk a little bit about growing up, there really weren’t a lot of Asian American performers, entertainers, actors, actresses. What are your thoughts on what you could tell kids who may be interested in getting in the business on creating that diverse voice that other kids can look up to?

Ms. Lucy Liu: That’s an excellent question. I think that now it’s becoming a little bit easier because we’re such a mixed race. And I mean, nobody’s just purely Chinese anymore or purely from another country. Especially in New York City, I think we’re spoiled because I think when we go outside of the country, it’s very segregated. There’s a Koreatown, there’s a Chinatown, there’s all of those things.

But, I do think that the most important thing is to create opportunities for yourself and not wait for other people to give them to you. And it’s really a great thing for kids, especially because they like to be motivated. They like projects. They like to be creative. And it’s just an idea of what is going to spur them to be the most creative and to never limit them, to allow them to make movies on their phone, to let them play, you know?

And that’s what a child does. A child plays and an adult is continuing that, one would hope. Do you know what I mean?

NKT: Absolutely.

Ms. Lucy Liu: And I think that sometimes we forget that. Sometimes we forget because we’re so exhausted or we have so many responsibilities.

But, we also have to remember and remind ourselves for that gratitude, because for me gratitude also brings you back to the source of who you are ultimately. And I think that’s something that I want to instill in my family, always, always.

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I loved Lucy’s answer, but especially her last statement about gratitude. Gratitude also brings you back to the source of who you are ultimately. What a great message!

I can’t wait to see rest of the film, which will be out in theaters on January 29. Until then, be sure to check out the trailer

Full disclosure: This Event was hosted by 20^th Century Fox & DreamWorks Animation. As always, all opinions on NKT are my own.

Rihanna, Jim Parsons and Steve Martin Take us ‘Home’ in Dreamworks’ Latest Family Film

March 26, 2015March 27, 2015 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

In Dreamworks’ new animated film, “Home”, two unlikely characters cross paths and work together to overcome alienation while learning to embrace imperfections.

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When the free-spirited tween, Tip, voiced by Rihanna, finds herself isolated and alone as the eccentric aliens, Boov, colonize Earth, she ventures out with her cat to search for her mom. As the Boov settle into their new digs, the quirky and often misunderstood, Oh, voiced by Jim Parsons, finds himself in another unfortunate scenario when he mistakenly sends a party invitation to everyone in his contact list—including their evil enemy, Gorg. When the cluelessly arrogant Boovian leader Captain Smek, voiced by comic legend Steve Martin, finds out that Oh made another mistake that might cost them their new home, ultimately, Oh is banished.

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At the press junket a few weeks ago, I enjoyed listening to Rihanna, Parsons and Martin as they charmed a room full of bloggers and journalists.

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To my surprise, Rihanna was hilarious and self-deprecating; at one point, I totally felt as though we could potentially be BFFs. When a fellow blogger asked Rihanna about how important it was for Tip to resonate with her own character and traits, I appreciated her candor:

“I think it was both important to me and DreamWorks Animation for this to be as realistic as possible. We wanted little girls to feel empowered, little girls of any size, shape, color, race. It didn’t matter. We wanted girls to just feel strong and brave and empowered and beautiful and like they can do anything. And they can take charge of their life or their situation no matter what.”

Hopefully, girls and boys will appreciate and be influenced by Tip’s fearlessness and determination to rise above adversity.

In person, Parsons was just as charming as I’d envisioned. When asked what his takeaways were from “Home,” Parsons appreciated several of Oh’s strengths.

“Oh has his own selection of them too, this optimism and eagerness and friendliness and hopefulness, that I don’t carry with me as in abundance and as much of the time as he does. And there’s not a good reason for–I mean, life gets in the way.”

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Parsons provided charm and awkward likability to the outcasted Oh, while Rihanna gave Tip a sassy, yet vulnerable persona. As recognizable entertainers who stepped out of their usual realm, providing voiceovers for Home was a new frontier for both Rihanna and Jim Parsons.

It was Martin’s brand of grandiose comedy that made Captain Smek’s arrogance and cowardice believable, yet strangely likable. Martin, of course, could effortlessly entertain the room with a single sentence. As for Martin’s takeaway from the film:

“I’m vowing to be more animated. That’s true.”

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Jennifer Lopez voiced Tip’s mom and lent her vocals for one of the songs in Home. With nods to popular lyrics and a unique soundtrack, the music was just as fun as the story itself.

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“Home” unearths a number of themes, but one message that will hit home for kids and families is that camaraderie and friendship sometimes evolve when you least expect it. Despite their differences, when Tip and Oh reluctantly partner up to overcome adversity, they realize they have just as many similarities as they have differences.

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As their adventure unfolds, they learn about their own personal strengths and acceptance for things out of their control. As Tip and Oh bond and travel to search for family and safety, ultimately, they find friendship and compassion. Dreamworks’ “Home” is yet another fulfilling family film that explores into multiple thought-provoking themes while maintaining a fun and relatable storyline for kids.

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Overall, this is a fun film for families, but the story may be too big for littler audiences. For those who might not understand complex story lines or who can’t sit through an hour film, I wouldn’t recommend seeing Home in the theaters. At times, I felt that the dialogue was abrupt and borderline questionable. I found myself instinctively thinking a few times “we don’t say that,” as if my 7 year old was watching next to me. Toward the end, in one of the turnkey scenes, grief and loss is a brief topic. So, if your child is uneasy about loss and darker concepts such as evil, I’d give a second thought before watching “Home.”

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From Tip and Oh’s light-hearted coming of age story, we learn that the idea of “home” transcends its literal meaning of a place or a thing. “Home” playfully depicts home as a feeling of contentment and a personal destination where love, life, family, friends converge. Home arrives in theaters on March 27.

Full disclosure: I was invited to participate in this press junket, but did not receive compensation. As always, opinions on NKT are my own.

Penguins of Madagascar is a Smart and Funny Family Flick

November 21, 2014November 22, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The Penguins of Madagascar are back, and this time, they’re stars of their own movie. Produced by Dreamworks and distributed by 20th Century Fox, Penguins of Madagascar is a fast-paced and funny story about four penguin friends.

Penguins of Madagascar, which hits theaters on Wednesday, November 26, sheds light into the backstory of the funny foursome: Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private. The spinoff to the Madagascar franchise, the Penguins’ adventure follows their pursuits in preventing the peculiar Dr. Octavius Brine from taking over the world.

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Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private must work together with North Wind undercover agents while keeping their character in tact and eating as much Cheezy Dibbles along the way. Above all pursuits, Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private embrace their brotherhood and prove the importance of loyalty.

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Famous names lend their voices to this fun film: John Malkovich is Dave, Ken Jeong is hilarious as Short Fuse and Benedict Cumberbatch is Classified the gray wolf. Like other Dreamwork films, the humor in Penguins is witty and smart, relevant for the parental audience, but still silly and fun for the kid contingent. With all the action, adventure and fun, Penguins has all the elements for fantastic family film and impeccably-timed for the holidays.

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In honor of the Penguins Movie, we were invited to a press junket in the City. Together with several other bloggers’ families, we enjoyed the day at the Bronx Zoo, where we toured the Madagascar exhibit and watched a private feeding of Magellanic Penguins and were treated to breakfast and lunch courtesy of Residence Inn.

After our day at the Bronx Zoo and following our screening of the Penguins of Madagascar, we were hosted at the new Central Park Residence Inn. Residence Inn and the Penguins have a partnership promoting the family travel experience, and we were quite fortunate to experience this partnership firsthand.

Overlooking Central Park from a few blocks away, the Residence Inn is a convenient midtown location that’s close to a myriad of NYC tourist destinations. The decor is modern and sleek, the complimentary breakfast is expansive and the rooms are cozy and comfortable; the Residence Inn is ideal for families who seek a midtown hotel with ample amenities.

My kids were in amazement of the unbelievable views of the city from our room at the Residence Inn. As if watching the Penguins movie before anyone else wasn’t cool enough, getting to stay in a really cool hotel overlooking Central Park was certainly a highlight of the weekend.

Check out Penguins of Madagascar on Wednesday, November 26!

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Residence Inn announced a promotion in line with their partnership with the Penguins of Madagascar release. Contestants can enter the Penguins Picture Mission contest on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram by reenacting their favorite “Penguins of Madagascar” pose with the hashtag #PenguinsMissionPromo between now and December 7. Contestants can enter up to six times, once per week. Each image will be generated into an online photo gallery, giving fans a chance to check out the competition.

The grand prize includes round trip airfare to Tampa for four, a three-night stay at the Residence Inn Tampa Downtown, four tickets to see “Madagascar Live! Operation Vacation” at Busch Gardens Tampa, two-day admission tickets for four at Busch Gardens Tampa, and more. Every week for six weeks, participants will also be entered to win prizes including a package of Madagascar DVDs and a $150 Residence Inn gift card.

Full disclosure: my family was hosted at the Bronx Zoo, Residence Inn and to a screening of the Penguins of Madagascar, with thanks to DreamWorks Animation and 20th Century Fox. A big thank you to Big Honcho Media and the studios for hosting my family on such a lovely event.

How to Train Your Dragon 2 Arrives in Theaters Today + Giveaway

June 13, 2014June 21, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

The wait is finally over: everyone’s favorite Vikings and Dragons are back in theaters today! Hiccup and Toothless are back for more in the second chapter of Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon 2.

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It’s been five years after Hiccup and Toothless have united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk, something that seemed unthinkable many years back. As Astrid, Snoutlout and the rest of the gang are challenging each other to dragon races, Hiccup and Toothless are exploring new worlds.

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The pair stumble upon a secret cave which is home to hundreds of new wild dragons and reveals a mysterious Dragon Rider. Hiccup and Toothless are thrust into another battle to protect peace, and ultimately stand up for what they believe, while reinforcing that together as a team, they influence the future of both men and dragons.

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How to Train Your Dragon 2, so far, has received excellent reviews, In fact, it was also positively reviewed by Common Sense Media, which awarded HTTYD2 its first five-star rating of the year.

It sounds like HTTYD2 is full of action, stellar graphics and strong bonds between people and animal companions—the making of a fun family flick.

We have a date to watch the movie as a family tomorrow and can’t wait! In honor of the release of Dreamwork’s How to Train Your Dragon 2, I’m giving away a fun prize pack for you and your family to watch the movie, too!

Giveaway

$25 Visa gift card to see the film
HTTYD2 pencil topper set and drawstring bag

To enter: tell me your family’s favorite character from HTTYD! Please comment below.

For extra entries:

Tweet about the giveaway: I want to win the #HTTYD2 Prize Pack from @jenrab

Like the Next Kid Thing on FB

or share on any other social media site

Want to get even more excited about HTTYD2? Check out these fun activities, including coloring pages, color by number, connect the dots and word search. Be sure to check out the first five minutes of the movie here:

Prizing and samples courtesy of DreamWorks Animation and 20^th Century Fox

Open to US mailing addresses only

This giveaway ends at 11:59 pm June 20. Random winner will be notified via email.

Update: Congrats to comment #58, julimi

HTTYD2

5 Things We Learned From Mr. Peabody and Sherman

March 6, 2014March 6, 2014 by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

A throwback to Rocky and Bullwinkle, Mr. Peabody and his son, Sherman, are back and they’re sharing their adventures with a whole new generation. Together with several fellow bloggers, we had a chance to preview the movie and participate in a Q&A roundtable with Director Rob Minkoff, Ty Burrell (voice of Mr. Peabody) and Max Charles (voice of Sherman).

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We had a fun time getting to know the stars of the movie, while taking turns asking them burning questions.

I’ll share more on that soon, but first, I wanted to share five things that Mr. Peabody and Sherman taught us.

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1. Family is family

Mr. Peabody and Sherman is a fun story about a dog who adopts a boy and goes on to explore the world, with boy in tow. Mr. Peabody, a genius Renaissance man, er, dog, is good at most anything he does. Despite the fact that he was never adopted as a pup, he, himself went on to adopt a boy. His son, Sherman, grew up as the son of a dog, something that was rather unique and special, though he didn’t know it yet. When Sherman gets teased for having a dog as a parent, Mr. Peabody, who never considered the consequences of their unique family, consoles his son without hesitation—because that’s what parents do.

When Sherman makes a mistake and takes the WABAC without asking, Peabody comes to rescue. When kids are sad, confused and feeling overwhelmed, parents swoop in with their unconditional love and find a way to make things better. What’s so fun about this movie is that instead of focusing on Mr. Peabody being a dog, it underscores the love between a parent and their kid. Family is family, after all.But ultimately, Mr. Peabody and Sherman is a reminder that every dog needs a boy.

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2. History is fun

I was an English major, so I read a lot of period pieces and books. The best thing about literature is that it schools you on history, too. I have always appreciated the arts and history in general, so I absolutely loved that Mr. Peabody and Sherman took the audience to memorable eras such as the Renaissance, the French Revolution, early American history and beyond. Even better? These historical references were fun and witty, but in the end made for an ongoing conversation with my six year old. The kids will appreciate the Mr. Peabody and Sherman’s adventures, but parents will love the bits of edutainment.

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3. Traveling and seeing new places can bring families joy

The world is a big place, and there’s so much to see. In Mr. Peabody and Sherman, the dog and son duo travel through time in their WABAC time machine and learn a lot about the historical places and locations they visit. At the same time, they learn about their relationship with each other. Traveling as a family is so important and strengthens your bond in ways you never knew how.

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4. It’s important to take risks

When Sherman’s nemesis-turned-friend, Penny, urges him to take the WABAC for a spin, the kids disobeyed and broke rules. There’s a fine line between breaking rules and taking risks, but when Sherman takes a risk, he learns something about himself. During the Renaissance era, Mr. Peabody, Sherman and Penny find themselves hanging out with Leonardo Da Vinci, the Renaissance Man himself. Penny and Sherman take Da Vinci’s Flying Machine for a spin, even though the inventor said it didn’t work. Sherman insisted to Penny that he didn’t know how to fly. Penny encouraged her friend and unbeknownst to him, Sherman could fly! His risk paid off and he did Da Vinci a favor in the process. Taking risks are character-builders, and something that kids and adults can learn from.

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5. Variety is the spice of life

Mr. Peabody is a genius dog, and something he hopes to instill in his son. While perfection isn’t necessarily something to strive for, (in my opinion, anyway) I can wholeheartedly agree that kids need room to “run.” Whether it’s playing sports, reading voraciously, drawing, coding, life should be about discovering your passions. Everyone’s path is decidedly different, so it’s totally fine if your best friend embraces music and you find joy in soccer. Mr. Peabody discovered and invented a myriad of things; while his life was fulfilling, in the end, nothing made him happier than his family.

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Mr. Peabody and Sherman hits theaters tomorrow, March 7. The humor appeals to kids and adults, and the story is engaging and relevant.

If you appreciate smart humor as much as we do, then you’ll love this!

I was a guest of Dreamworks Animation and participated in a Q&A. As always, all opinions are my own.