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Family Movie Night: Game of Your Life Review

Tricia — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:12:55 +0000

I can not stress enough how important it is to watch movies that are appropriate when we have movie night. As a parent I don’t want to have to tell my children to cover their eyes or ears if something pops up that they should not hear or see. This is one of the main reasons I look forward to movies released by Walmart and P&G for Family Movie Night. Everything is family friendly including the commercials.

The newest movie is Game of Your Life and it premieres December 2, 2011 on NBC.

When high school gamer Zach Taylor lands a scholarship to an exclusive video game design program led by billionaire gaming icon Marcus Bentton, his future takes a promising turn… as long as he can survive the intense freshmen project that eliminates half of the class in the first three months.

My family and I had an chance to watch an advanced screening of Game of Your Life. Zach’s dream is to be a video game designer. He gets one step closer to reaching that dream when he is accepted to the Digital School of Game Design. Zach is happy to be able to learn from Marcus Bentton, a legend he looks up to.

The opportunity to attend this great school is bittersweet because Zach is very concerned about his family’s financial problems. His dad is a widow and their family business is not going too well. Zach’s dad doesn’t want him to worry but he can’t help it.

After arriving at the school there is a lot going on. Zach is not able to stay in a dorm, so he will be sharing a loft off campus with two other students. Zach’s room mates happen to be on his team for the big freshman project. They are designing an interactive game that the entire campus will be able to play. The goal is to check in, make decisions and see the consequences of those decisions.

While working on the freshman project with his team mates, Zach is offered the opportunity to do a side job for Marcus Bentton. Even though the number one rule at the school is “no outside consulting”, Zach gives the offer some thought. He makes the decision to accept the job when he finds out his father was turned down for a refinance loan. The side job and school turns out to be too much for Zach. He starts to fall asleep in class and begins to not give 100%. Zach is not sure what he should do because he wants to help his dad and his team mates. It becomes obvious he can’t do both.

Watching Zach struggle with what he should do and how his decision would affect others presented a great teachable moment. It shows that it can be very difficult to make the right decision when you have a problem. And it is ok to go to someone for help. Don’t forget to watch Game of Your Life tomorrow on NBC.

Connect with Family Movie Night on Facebook so you will never miss a thing!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of P&G and received a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Spy Kids: All The Time In The World DVD Review

Tricia — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:32:02 +0000

We own the first three Spy Kids movie. My entire family loves the first two but did not like the third one too much. This did not stop us from wanting to see the latest Spy Kids movie “All The Time In The World”.

The action packed franchise is back…with the next generation of Spy Kids! Marissa Cortez Wilson (Jessica Alba) has it all: married to a famous spy-hunting television reporter (Joel McHale), with a new baby and intelligent twin step kids, Rebecca and Cecil. When the maniacal Timekeeper disrupts her domestic bliss—threatening to take over the planet—Marissa comes out of retirement as a top secret agent. With Armageddon quickly approaching, Rebecca and Cecil are thrust into action! With a little help from some familiar Spy Kids friends, Carmen , Juni, their faithful dog Argonaut and some mind-blowing gadgets, they just may be able to save the world!

Before watching the movie, we talked about exactly how these newer Spy Kids were related to the original ones. Rebecca and Cecil’s dad married Marissa whose sister is Ingrid, Carmen and Juni’s mom. A little bit of a stretch but we don’t mind, not too much.

The movie starts out with a very pregnant Marissa Cortez Wilson chasing down a bad guy. We could not stop laughing about how funny she looked having contractions while fighting Tick Tock’s minions in heels. When she defeats all the minions, there is a ambulance waiting to take her to the hospital. Marissa is an undercover spy who has decided to retire. Her boss doesn’t want her to retire, but she wants to have a normal life. Her husband and step children have no idea what she does, they think she is a designer.

It just so happens that Marissa’s husband is a reporter for a show called Spy Hunters. But he has never really found a spy, not even the one he is married to. Marissa’s step children are twins who love to compete against one another. Rebecca loves to play practical jokes, especially on her step mom. Marissa tries to bond with Rebecca by giving her a very special necklace. Everything is ok until The Tick Tock escapes, teams up with Tick Tock and starts stealing time. At first he was stealing a few minutes here and there. He quickly moves up to stealing days. Time was going by so quickly, no one could keep up. The only thing that could stop the villains is the necklace Marissa gave Rebecca. This is when the adventure starts.

We watched Spy Kids: All The Time In The World on one of our movie nights. We all liked this one more than Spy Kids 3. One of my favorite parts is when we found out that the family dog, Argonaut, was not a real dog but a robot that watches the kids and keeps them safe. It was nice to see some of the gadgets from the previous Spy Kids movies. My son wished that more gadgets were used in this movie. He says that is one of his favorite things, spy gadgets. I agree with him, I wanted to see more gadgets too. That is a big part of being a spy. Nannah thought the movie was funny but wanted to see more of Carmen and Junie. It was nice to see the original Spy Kids all grown up and bickering like they used to.

Buy It!
You can get Spy Kids: All The Time In The World on 3 Disc (Blu-Ray, DVD and digital copy) for $19.99

We were provided with a copy of this movie for review purposes. The opinions given are 100% our own as always.

Disney’s Winnie The Pooh Review

Tricia — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:14:36 +0000

An American animated children’s family film inspired by the A. A. Milne stories of the same name. This film is the fifth theatrical Winnie the Pooh film released and the second from the Walt Disney Animation Studios. It is the 51st animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series. In the film, Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Rabbit, Piglet, Owl, Eeyore, Kanga, and Roo embark on a quest to save Christopher Robin from an imaginary culprit while Pooh deals with a hunger for honey.

On October 25th, Disney released Winnie the Pooh on DVD and Blu-Ray. We watched it for Movie Night. Winnie the Pooh is such a good natured movie. Everyone is my family has a favorite, I go back and forth between Tigger and Piglet. Nannah loves Eeyore. Kayla’s favorite is Winnie the Pooh. His obsession with honey makes her giggle. The songs throughout the song were plesant and made us smile.

It was very funny when all the animals misread a note left by Christopher Robin, he said he was busy and be back soon. Owl thought he was captured by a huge creature, “the backsons” Watching the movie reminding me of when I used to read Winnie the Pooh books to my kids. The kids enjoyed seeing a black and white Pooh sing the original Tummy song. We were able to watch a mini adventure. “Pooh’s Adventure”.

You can get a copy of Disney Winnie the Pooh on DVD and Blu Ray for $24.99 at Amazon.com

I was provided with the DVD for review purposes for free. My opinion is 100% my own.

Roku 2 – XS Review

Tricia — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 22:42:27 +0000

In 2008, the Roku was launched as the first product designed to deliver movies from Netflix instantly on TV, using the power of the Internet. Since then Roku streaming players have become synonymous with amazing choice, control, and value in TV entertainment.

The first time I had the chance to try out a Roku was back in in 2009. I reviewed the Roku HD-XR and feel in love with the options I had when it came to movies. I used the Roku to watch Netflix and Hulu Plus on my television. A few months later I was able to watch my own movies once I inserted my flash drive into the box. My whole family enjoyed using the Roku. It is portable so going room to room was no problem. We even took it with us on a week long vacation back in April.

Well in July, Roku upgraded to the next generation of streaming players, Roku 2. This means:

Built in wireless
Ethernet port for a wired internet connection
USB port for playing videos, music and photos from a USB drive
Roku Game Remote with motion controls
Full version of Angry Birds game
Access to over 350 channels
microSD slot for additional channel and game storage
Bluetooth for connecting the Roku Game Remote

I was recently sent a Roku 2 to review, as a movie lover I was very excited for this opportunity. When the Roku 2 arrived and I opened the box, I could not believe how small it is.

It is smaller than the remote!

I just had to grab our Roku HD-XR and compare it to the Roku 2. It is a huge difference! The Roku truly fits inside the palm of your hand. I remember thinking how small the Roku HD-XR was in comparison to our dvd player.

The Roku 2 has a sleeker, more rounded design which is very appealing to the eyes. It blends in so well, it almost disappears. This smaller player uses less power than the previous generations. Instead of their signature logo on the actual box, there is now a little purple tag on the side.

There are two ways to hook up the Roku 2 to your television. If you have an HDTV, you will need a HMDI cord. There are no worries if you have a standard definition tv, the Roku 2 comes with an A/V cord. Because the Roku 2 is so small, the cord is different, there is a single connector for audio and video.

The Roku game remote fit the sleeker style of the Roku 2 . It is smaller and fits in your hand comfortably. It has motion control to make playing casual games like Angry Birds easier. Yes, Angry Birds comes free with the Roku XS! I have played this game on small mobile devices and playing it on a bigger screen is so much better. The Roku game remote took a minute to get used too. For some reason we would lean towards the Roku 2 when trying to get a better angle. That is not needed because the remote has Bluetooth. This a great improvement because with the older generation you had to make sure your remote had a clear path to the Roku. There are a few games available to buy to play on Roku 2: Angry Birds Seasons, Galaga, Take Storm and Pac Man Championship. I was thinking of ordering Pac Man but it has neon glow that hurts my eyes. I can not wait to see what other games are released.

In addition to the gaming aspect of the Roku 2, there have also been other changes:

Netflix now streams in 1080p HD video quality. It even supports English subtitles when available.
You have to set up a Roku account with your credit card now. This was not required before. I guess this makes purchasing different channels easier. It does give you the option to set up a pin to be used if you want to buy something.
The growing channels of streaming entertainment have grown to include NHL Game Center, NBA Game Time, photos from Facebook, news from Disney and FoxNews.com.

The most recent addition is HBO Go. If you already subscribe to HBO through a cable or satellite provider, it is free. This is very nice. You can watch movies and entire series of HBO shows. Another channel I found is the Instant Watch Browser. It works with your Netflix. I used it to see what new movies and t.v. shows are available. The browser also tells you will be expiring and upcoming releases to instant. In the lite version you don’t have the option of adding titles directly to your queue. It reminds me of the site Instantwatcher, which I use daily.

I am very happy about the changes Roku has made with the Roku 2. The smaller size makes it even more portable, the new game remote makes game play easy and all the added channels are great. I can not wait to see what comes next! I am hoping to see more movie channels offered like Cinemax. If you have an older Roku, you will love the upgraded Roku 2.

Get an Roku 2 XS for $99 at the Roku website. There is a 30 day money back guarantee and free shipping.

You can connect with Roku on Facebook and Twitter too.

I was provided with a Roku 2 free of cost for review purposes. The opinions given are 100% my own as always.

Spooky Buddies DVD Giveaway

Tricia — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 04:34:11 +0000

Disney’s loveable Buddies are back in the spine-tingling movie caper SPOOKY BUDDIES. Embarking on a journey to save the world from Warwick the Warlock and the Halloween Hound, this trick-or-treat adventure celebrates friendship, courage, and teamwork.It premiered on Blu-ray, DVD & Movie Download from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on September 20th.

It’s Halloween, and Disney’s irresistible talking puppies are back in an all-new movie that takes them far across town to a mysterious mansion where something very spooky is going on. With the help of some unexpected new friends – including a friendly ghost, this trick-or-treat adventure is howling-good Buddy fun. In a race against the Howlloween Hound, the Buddies and their new friends, Pip, Zelda, Rodney and Skip must stop Warlock the Magician — and save the world from his dastardly deeds.

To see what to expect in Spooky Buddies, check out the clips below.

Buddies Are Back

I Can’t Wait for Tonite

All About The Costume

If you really want to get into the Halloween spirit, you can download your own SPOOKY BUDDIES Halloween Buddy Cards, Doggy Biscuits Recipe and Halloween Safety Tips here.

The Giveaway
One lucky 1StopMom reader will win their own copy of Spooky Buddies on DVD.

The prize for this giveaway was provided from the company or its PR agency.

CatDog: Season 1 – Part 1 Review and Giveaway

Tricia — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 03:30:06 +0000

A fan favorite, CatDog: Season One – Part One, is a tale of opposites attached starring CatDog, the most unlikely brother duo ever seen. The conjoined brothers love each other yet they are so different, they can’t help but annoy themselves silly with their contrarian activities. Prim and proper, Cat is the very definition of culture, while Dog is the ultimate tail-wagging, sofa-jumping, car-chasing roughneck. But despite their very different personalities, CatDog are the best of friends, sticking to one another — literally — through thick and thin, even when it comes to facing off against their devious neighbor Winslow and the rough ’n’ tough gang of Greaser Dogs!

Since CatDog first premiered on Nickelodeon, my family has been fans. My little cousin who is 5 years old thinks they are the funniest thing ever. TJ likes Cat the best. Dog is such a happy dog who is pretty naive and Cat always takes advantage of this. Cat is always tricking Dog into doing things. CatDog love to irritate each other which makes the show so funny.

CatDog Season 1 – Part 1 was released on DVD from Shout Factory on October 18th. The two disc set has 10 episodes, which means 2 shows per episode. CatDog ran on Nickelodeon for four seasons, from 1998 until 2001.

Buy It!
Grab a copy of CatDog from Amazon.com for $14.99
The Giveaway
One lucky 1StopMom reader will win CatDog: Season 1- Part 1 on DVD

I was provided with the above item from the company or its PR agency for review purposes. They also provided the prize for this giveaway. Opinions are 100% my own as always.

Have A Happy Muppet Halloween!!

Tricia — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:06:41 +0000

The Muppets won’t be released until November 23rd, but they can still help you celebrate Halloween. If you are looking for some great jokes, Fozzie wants to share his very best!

Looking for a fun carving for your pumpkin? How about Kermit the Frog?

You can find this free Kermit the Frog pumpkin carving template and instructions over at DisneyFamily.com

The True Story of Puss ‘N Boots Review

Tricia — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 04:51:35 +0000

On October 4, 2011, kaBOOM! Entertainment , released The True Story of Puss ‘N Boots on dvd. We recently had the opportunity to review a copy of this movie.

The beginning of the movie starts off with the chamblian trying to convince the queen and king how badly the Princess needs a husband. Of course he wants it to be him! It is funny how the queen never understands what anyone is saying and the king is always asleep. The court jester does a lot of translating!

We are than introduced to the Princess who loves to sing and dance and Peter who loves to listen to her every morning. A farmer leaves his youngest son, Peter, the cat, Puss with a promise that he will find his destiny. His older brothers who inherit the mill and thinks that Peter getting the cat is funny. Peter’s dad tells him to make Puss a pair of red leather boots out of special red leather. His last words are for Peter to always have trust in his cat. Peter is not very happy spending his last night at home making Puss some boots. Puss wants higher heels on his boots, he thinks they make him look short.

Before starting his journey of finding his destiny, Peter’s brothers tease him about being in love with the princess. Peter feels bad because he has no hope that he would really end up with her.

Puss ‘N Boots takes Peter to a bar and explains to Peter just how special he is. He has boots, can talk and whistle. He promises Peter he will marry the princess. In disquise the princess dances and sings at the bar in french. It was catchy though we can’t understand it, lol. Peter and Puss join in showing some of their dance moves which is pretty funny.

This was an interesting interpretation of Puss ‘N Boots. TJ thought the Chamberlain was funny since he likes makes toad candy for anyone that does not like him or is interested in the princess. Cat’s voice is really unique, he rolls his rrrr’s when he speaks. It sounds kind of like of how you will think a talking cat talks. We watched Puss ‘N Boots during movie night and enjoyed it. My nephew was running in and out while he was watching it but a few scenes did catch his attention.

Buy It!

Puss ‘N Boots is available at Amazon.com for $16.49.

I was provided with the above items from the company or its PR agency for review purposes. Opinions are 100% my own as always.

Cranium Breaks Review and Giveaway

Tricia — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:50:05 +0000

“Only have a minute? That’s all you’ll need to play CRANIUM BRAIN BREAKS! New from the CRANIUM line is CRANIUM BRAIN BREAKS, a collection of 200 different games that can each be played in 60 seconds! The classic categories of Creative Cat, Word Worm, Star Performer and Data Head can be found in this compact case of games, ensuring there is something for everyone”

We are a game playing family. Before we had kids, my hubby and I loved to have some friendly competition over some games. Once the kids arrived, we continued the tradition. My kids have that same fire and we love to get together for a good game night. While we love to play games, there are times when day goes by pretty quickly. We want to plan something, but a just a quick game or two.

Cranium Brain Breaks is perfect for those times. The brain shaped case holds 200 games. Even though they are only a minute each, if you have more time you can play a few games. Inside the case are:

100 cards

Cranium Clay

Notepad

Die

Timer

6 Cranium cubes

We had a great time playing the mini games. It was hard to play just a few games because it seems like the time went by so quick. Kayla and TJ have been finding time everywhere to get in a quick game: before school, after dinner and while waiting to go somewhere. Kayla loves when she has to sketch something because she is always drawer. Of course TJ is a big fan of the clay, he can really do wonders with it. The rest of us are not as good but the game is still fun!

The Giveaway

One 1StopMom reader will win their very own Cranium Brain Breaks game.

I was provided with the above item from the company or its PR agency for review purposes. They also provided the prize for this giveaway. Opinions are 100% my own as always.

Movie Night: Paranormal Activity 2

Tricia — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 08:12:21 +0000

A few days ago I saw that Paranormal Activity 2 was added to Netflix. It was only a few months ago that I finally had a chance to catch the first Paranormal Activity, of course it was on Netflix. I really enjoyed the first one. I did not know what to expect and gave the movie my full attention. I did not want to blink because I was afraid I would miss something. I sat there searching with my eyes the entire screen so I would not be caught off guard. Of course I was and jumped throughout the entire movie and even screamed a few time. I like that kind of movie.

Well Saturday night we watched Paranormal Activity 2. Turned off the all the lights and we were ready. It started off slow, but that was expected. We had to learn a little bit about the family. This could be considered a prequel because this was before everything that happened in part one.

The main characters are Katie’s sister, Kristi and her family. Her husband, step daughter and son. One night there is a burglary and their first thought is install an alarm system, but it is really cameras. We were shown a lot of the video footage from the six camera for about 4 or 5 nights. The build up was very slow. They were not really showing anything. The dog, Abby, getting worked up a few times and a few other “unexplainable activities”. I was tempted to fast foward more than once.

Kristi and Katie referred to incidents that happened when they younger, but they did not go into detail. Katie was adament in not talking about it. Kristi’s step daughter was really interested in what was going on and even investigated a little. This revealed a little more about the history of the sisters, but not much. It was just enough to get you thinking.

I have to say I did not like Paranormal Activity 2 as much as the first one. Too much time was wasted in the beginning. I only jumped once or twice but that was it. As a fan of horror movies, I want to be scared and it did not really happen this time. My opinion of this movie will not prevent me from seeing Paranormal Activity 3. I want to know how it all started so I will be checking it out!

It bothered me all night where I had seen the woman who played Kristi before. Finally after looking it up, I found out she was on Jericho. Her hair is a different color so it threw me off. (By the way Jericho is also on Netflix and is a great series.)

Have you seen it? What did you think?