mapping our life's journey
With Christmas just around the corner, I started jotting down when the different Christmas specials and movies will be on TV! I thought I’d share it with you!
If you have any others you think should be added, please leave a comment!
I remember going to see Beauty and the Beast when it first came out in 1991. I was 17 years old and it was a first date. I loved the movie, the songs, the story. I eventually owned the movie on VHS and had the soundtrack on CD.
When the movie was released on DVD last year, I purchased for the me the girls.They love the movie and now they are singing along to all the songs.
Last weekend, my family and I had the pleasure of seeing the advanced screening of Beauty and the Beast 3D. We were so excited!
I was a little apprehensive about the fact that it was 3D. How were they going to take a 2D movie and turn it into 3D? The CGI graphics of animated movies today are much different than the animated graphics from 20 years ago. But I put on my glasses and got goosebumps when I heard the music start.
Surprisingly the graphics were amazing! The 3D parts of the movie weren’t obtrusive and didn’t take away from the original feel of the movie. I tried very hard to find spots int he movie where you could tell that they changed the graphics during the 3D process. There were only a few spots that looked different from the original but I’m not going to point them out, because I’m sure most people aren’t going to scrutinize the movie like I did. Most of the enhancements were subtle — the dust floating in the beam of light, the puffs of smoke, the wind blowing. I would have to say that “Be Our Guest” is my favorite song and was always my favorite part of the movie; the 3D effects totally added to that scene! As you can tell, I loved it!
I hope that everyone goes to see the magic of Beauty and the Beast 3D. You won’t be disappointed!
Oh, and as a special treat before the movie starts, you’ll get to see the Tangled Ever After short film.
Here is a preview of the short film — the whole things is very cute!
The new short spotlights the royal wedding of Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Flynn Rider – a.k.a Eugene (Zachary Levi).
TANGLED directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard bring back some of Disney’s most beloved characters when TANGLED EVER AFTER picks up where TANGLED left off. The Kingdom is in a festive mood as everyone gathers for the royal wedding of Rapunzel and Flynn. However, when Pascal and Maximus, as flower chameleon and ring bearer, respectively, lose the gold bands, a frenzied search and recovery mission gets underway. As the desperate duo tries to find the rings before anyone discovers that they’re missing, they leave behind a trail of comical chaos that includes flying lanterns, a flock of doves, a wine barrel barricade and a very sticky finale. Will Maximus and Pascal save the day and make it to the church in time? And will they ever get Flynn’s nose right?
If you do go see the movie, come back here and let me know what you think about it. I hope you love it too!
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.
Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.
Featuring unforgettable music by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, and an enormously talented vocal ensemble, “Beauty and the Beast” was the first animated feature to receive a Best Picture nomination from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
[Giveaway closed]
Within minutes of the movie, three children beside me were escorted by their parents out of the theatre. Max, the main character, was abusing a cat. The first thing movie goers will notice in this film is that this may not be a movie for children under the age of Max. That is, unless your children are viciously acting destructive despite having the cognitive skills to know better, then they won’t be able to relate to Max in the movie. Such “wild” characteristics usually develop around eight years old. The Max in this film is of a different maturity than the one found in Maurice Sendak’s book. Although the film’s version of Max is not on the pathway of adolescence, he’s right at the footstep looking ahead. This becomes evident as he tries but fails to make any bonds with young teens, including his older sister. In one scene, the wild Max is injured by an even wilder teenage boy who jumps on the ‘igloo’ that Max is hiding under. It was at this scene that I noticed two other children were escorted out of the theatre by their parents. And sure enough, the adult themes began appearing unbeknownst to children. This was when I began to enjoy the film.
The key to appreciating Where the Wild Things Are is in this statement by director Jonze: “I didn’t set out to make a children’s movie; I set out to make a movie about childhood.”
It’s worth bearing in mind if you’re intending to take a very young tot to see this film. What Jonze and screenwriter Dave Eggers have wrought in adapting Maurice Sendak’s 1963 picture book perennial is something so primal, and so in touch with the rough “id” of youthful fantasy, it would be easy to dismiss as a simple kid’s story.
Then there is this review as well from “kids in mind”: http://kids-in-mind.com/w/wherethewildthingsare.htm
Sendak’s book is a witty and concise (338 words) allegory about a high-spirited five-year-old’s rage, fantasy and ultimate mastery childhood emotions. The Jonze movie, co-written by novelist Dave Eggers ( A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius ) is an exploration of childhood sorrow. It’s about an emotionally neglected nine-year-old (Max Records) who exhibits behaviour problems as he witnesses his parents’ divorce. Forget about Max’s cry to let the wild rumpus start. This feels more like: “Let the grief-counselling ensue.”
From newsday.com:
Jonze and Eggers have a firm grasp on the way a child’s joy can quickly turn to tears, but they squeeze hard and can’t let go. The film is essentially a parade of negative emotions – sorrow, anger, jealousy, regret. And the choppy dialogue, at times so cryptic that it borders on Beckett, keeps the Wild Things from becoming full-fledged characters.
“Where the Wild Things Are” clearly wants to be a children’s movie that isn’t really a children’s movie, and it succeeds. That’s great news – if you’re an adult.
I’m very curious to see how they have “adapted” the book so I’m sure I will see the movie.
How old are your kids and will you be taking them to see this?
