Disclosure: This recipe was provided to me by Longhorn Steakhouse. All opinions expressed are 100% my own.
If you are looking for that extra something that will have your big game party being talked about all the way until next year’s – look no further! I have the ultimate dip recipe for you! LongHorn Steakhouse White Cheddar and Bacon Dip! Chances are, you have had this in the restaurant and guess what, it is pretty easy to make at home. Vermont white cheddar mixed with bacon and green onions and topped with applewood smoked bacon and cheddar jack cheese – tell me your mouth is not watering right now? Serve it with crispy flatbread and your guests will eat it right up!
Ingredients:
1 cup of Vermont white cheddar, shredded
½ cup of cheddar jack cheese, shredded
8 oz. of cream cheese, softened
8 slices of bacon
2 tablespoons of green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, chopped
Flatbread or crackers for dipping
Directions:
Cook bacon on stovetop according to directions. Once cooked, place bacon on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
Once cooled, chop bacon into small pieces. Reserve 1/3 of the bacon pieces for topping.
Mix white cheddar, cream cheese, green onions and 2/3 of crumbled bacon, then place in an oven-safe casserole dish.
Bake in 400 degree oven for approximately 15 minutes or until heat through and edges start to bubble.
While baking, toast flatbread in oven or on grill.
Remove from oven, top with cheddar jack cheese and remaining crumbled bacon. Finish with chopped fresh parsley.
Kung Fu Panda 3 enters theaters on Friday! Check out the latest trailer here:
In 2016, one of the most successful animated franchises in the world returns with its biggest comedy adventure yet, KUNG FU PANDA 3. When Po’s long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, the reunited duo travels to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the supernatural villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must do the impossible — learn to train a village full of his fun-loving, clumsy brethren to become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas!
Help Po protect the pandas from the evil Kai in the Panda Village Defender game! Use your keyboard arrows to move Po and collect the pandas.
Be sure to check out my other giveaways while you are here and GOOD LUCK!
Disclosure: Mama Smith’s Review Blog received these items in exchange for her honest review. Mama Smith is a Peanuts Brand Ambassador, however all opinions expressed are 100% hers.
I absolutely love the Peanuts gang! I grew up watching Snoopy and the crew, as well as reading the comic strips. For me, a holiday is just not a holiday without watching a Peanuts special. I was thrilled when my girls became old enough to really watch them. Don’t get me wrong though, even when they were babies we watched them, but now they ask questions about the characters and are in to the story line. I am passing down my love for Peanuts and I could not be prouder.
Every year, Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang can be found on hundreds of different Valentine’s Day gifts – including cards, plush, books, candy, and much more. This year, for the first time, Oriental Trading is offering an array of colorful Peanuts toys, party supplies, and crafts for Valentine’s Day. My girls were so excited to receive some treat boxes and Peanuts crayons. My 4 year immediately sat down to color one. She has decided that she will be making them for her friends at school – and cannot wait to fill them with treats and stickers.
Also new this year are adorable Peanuts Pez Dispensers (the perfect addition to our Pez Dispenser collection) and a ready-to-read book, called Happy Valentine’s Day, Charlie Brown, from Simon and Schuster. I love reading this book with my daughters and it is helping my 4 year old learn quite a few words. She is really big into Peanuts and so she is asking to read this book nearly every day. A Valentine’s Day treat that is returning by popular demand is Whitman’s chocolates featuring a Snoopy plush, as well as A Charlie Brown Valentine DVDs from Warner Home Entertainment, and holiday cards from Hallmark.
How do I love thee, Snoopy? Let me count the ways… Whether it’s watching A Charlie Brown Valentine, reading (and re-reading) a favorite Peanuts book, or enjoying some Whitman’s chocolate packaged with a Snoopy plush, every Valentine’s Day millions of fans around the world find a variety of ways to share their love of the Peanuts gang.
If you regularly read Mama Smith’s, than you know I am a big comic book fan. So of course, my love affair with Snoopy started with the comic strips. Over the years, Charles Schulz has created dozens of Valentine’s Day-themed comic strips. Many of the strips revolve around Charlie Brown’s eagerness to receive valentines…only to be disappointed, every. single. time. In several of the strips, Charlie Brown watches forlornly as Snoopy sits atop his doghouse reading his stacks of valentines—while his own mailbox remains doggedly empty. At other times, Charlie Brown’s stomach is in knots as he focuses on getting a valentine from the Little Red-Haired Girl or giving one to her, but he never quite manages to get up the nerve to approach her. I recently learned something pretty interesting about the Little Red-Haired Girl. In real life, the Little Red-Haired Girl was a co-worker of Schulz’ named Donna Johnson Wold. Wold and Schulz eventually became romantically involved and dated for three years, but in 1950 when Schulz proposed to her, she turned him down, saying she was already engaged (awwww). Schulz was devastated, but he and Donna remained friends for the rest of his life. Most recently, the Little Red-Haired Girl took center stage in the critically acclaimed The Peanuts Movie (which my family and I LOVED!!!) – the film marks the first time the character, voiced by Francesca Capaldi of Disney’s “Dog with a Blog,” speaks. It debuted in November 2015 and we went to see it opening weekend. I for one, am eagerly awaiting the release of the Blu-Ray/DVD.
Speaking of the latest film, there are two Peanuts primetime TV specials devoted to Valentine’s Day. The first one, Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown, is the 13th special based upon the popular comic strip. It originally aired on CBS on January 28, 1975 and now airs every year on ABC. Be sure to check your local listings – you don’t want to miss it, even if you have seen it many times before. In this special, the whole gang experiences holiday heartbreak: Lucy tries to get Schroeder to like her. Sally, thinking that Linus gave her a gift, tries to get him something great so that he will love her. Linus tries to tell his teacher, Miss Othmar, that he loves her. Charlie Brown desperately wants to receive a valentine. In the end, everybody is disappointed. Charlie Brown is finally cheered up when he gets a used valentine from Violet the next day, hoping that her pity valentine will start a trend and he will get even more valentines the following year. After this episode was originally aired, children all over America sent valentines to Charlie Brown out of sympathy. I cannot say that I blame them, I would too. The poor kid. My girls always feel bad for Charlie Brown and ask if they can give him a hug or tell him it will all be OK.
The second TV special, A Charlie Brown Valentine, is the 40th special. It was initially broadcast on February 14, 2002 on ABC, where it continues to air now. In this special, Charlie Brown attempts to win the heart of the Little Red-Haired Girl. After numerous failed efforts, he finally works up the courage to call her to ask her to the Valentine’s Day dance. But he dials the wrong number and reaches Peppermint Patty instead. At the party, Charlie Brown tries to dance with the Little Red-Haired Girl, but then realizes she is already dancing with Snoopy. At the end of the day, Charlie Brown is upset that he didn’t get to dance with the Little Red-Haired Girl, and didn’t even receive one valentine. Just then, Snoopy brings Charlie Brown a valentine—but the special ends there, and it is not revealed who the valentine is from! A Charlie Brown Valentine is one of the first to depict the Little Red-Haired Girl in full view, though she remains unnamed and does not speak. It was also the first Peanuts special to be produced after Charles Schulz’ death, as well as the first without Schulz on the production team. I think they did a fabulous job keeping the true meaning of the Peanuts alive. You can check your local listings for this one as well (and be sure to enter to win a copy of the DVD from Warner Home Entertainment below!). We have already watched our copy more times than I can count in just a couple of days. It is my 3 year old’s favorite movie currently.
Enter to win a Peanuts Valentine’s Day package including:
I must have read The BFG at least 50 times when I was younger. I was one of those kids that could always be found in a book. I read several books a week and reread my favorites – The BFG was one of those. I can vividly remember sitting under my covers and reading it many nights (kind of perfect, isn’t it?). When I heard that Disney was going to be making The BFG into a film, and directed by Stephen Spielberg no less, well, let’s just say I was excited. And then I was thrilled when Disney Studios sent me a copy of the book because I could start reading it with my daughters. Every night we have been reading a chapter or two since it arrived and we are nearing the end. My 4 year old has been so enthralled with it – and already asked if we could read it through a second time when we finish. I was talking with her earlier today when I got a notification for an email. I opened it up and what I saw was so perfect, so visually stunning, so amazing – Disney unveiled the poster for The BFG and all I can say is WOW. My daughter looked over my shoulder and yelled “Hey, that says The BFG! Like our book! I love that.” and when I told her that it was a movie poster the look on her face was priceless. She asked if we could go see and I told her that she can bet on the fact that we will be at the theater the day it opens.
The cast and crew for this film – and the fact that Disney is taking it on – pretty much solidifies that it is going to be one amazing movie. With two of my favorite comedians – Bill Hader and Jermaine Clement – on board, this movie is sure to pack a lot of laughs as well. Get ready to bring the kids to what I expect to be a huge film of the summer – The BFG – in theaters everywhere July 1st, 2016!
The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle. Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams.
Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows. But Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome. Says Spielberg, “It’s a story about friendship, it’s a story about loyalty and protecting your friends and it’s a story that shows that even a little girl can help a big giant solve his biggest problems.” Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.
Directed by three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg (“Bridge of Spies,” “Schindler’s List,” ”Saving Private Ryan”) from a screenplay by Melissa Mathison (“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,” “The Black Stallion”) based on the best-selling novel by Roald Dahl, “The BFG” stars three-time Tony Award and two-time Olivier Award winner Mark Rylance (“Bridge of Spies,” “Wolf Hall”), newcomer Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Downton Abbey”), Jemaine Clement (“Rio 2,” “The Flight of the Conchords”), Rebecca Hall (“The Gift,” “Iron Man 3”), Rafe Spall (“The Big Short,” “Prometheus”) and Bill Hader (“Inside Out,” “Trainwreck”). The film is produced by Spielberg, Frank Marshall (“Jurassic World,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”) and Sam Mercer (“Snow White and the Huntsman,” “The Sixth Sense”) with Kathleen Kennedy (“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “Lincoln”), John Madden (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” “Shakespeare in Love”), Kristie Macosko Krieger (“Bridge of Spies,” “Lincoln”), Michael Siegel (“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “Rise of the Guardians”), Frank Smith and Naia Cucukov serving as executive producers.
Roald Dahl’s “The BFG” (Big Friendly Giant) was first published in 1982 and has been enchanting readers of all ages ever since. Dahl’s books, which also include “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “Matilda,” are currently available in 58 languages and have sold over 200 million copies worldwide. Originally created as a bedtime story, “The BFG” was Dahl’s own favorite of all his stories. “It was very important for us to be loyal to the language,” says Spielberg, “and the great writer Melissa Mathison, who also wrote ‘E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial,’ wrote ‘The BFG.’”
THE BFG hits theaters everywhere on July 1st, 2016!
All roads lead straight to Wrestlemania 32 with WWE LIVE ROAD TO WRESTLEMNIA making one of its final stops at War Memorial Arena in March. Anything can happen with Wrestlemania just two weeks away! WWE fans are in for one crazy night as rivalries and tempers collide.
See your favorite WWE Superstars including: WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose, Sheamus, Kevin Owens, The New Day, Bray Wyatt and The Wyatt Family, The Divas and many more!
WWE offers the best value in entertainment, with tickets starting at $15. Tickets to WWE LIVE ROAD TO WRESTLEMANIA at ONCENTER WAR MEMORIAL ARENA go on-sale Friday, January 22 at 10AM. Tickets are available at www.ticketmaster.com, the Oncenter Box Office (760 S. State Street), or charge-by-phone 1-800-745-3000.
As most of you know I am a HUGE Marvel fan! So imagine how excited I was to hear all about the new “Ask Marvel” video series that gives fans the chance to have their Tweets answered by some of the biggest names from Marvel! Beginning today, Marvel is excited to present an all-new video series devoted to giving fans the chance to have their Tweets answered by some of the actors, creators and names that are synonymous with the House of Ideas with ASK MARVEL.
Available today Marvel.com and on Marvel’s YouTube page, ASK MARVEL places Drax himself, Dave Bautista, in the hot seat to grill him with some of the most thought-provoking and off-the-wall questions that intend to offer a new and never-before-seen side to Dave “The Destroyer” Bautista. Trust me, this is a fantastic video! It is hilarious and insightful all at the same time. I cannot wait to see what else Marvel has in store for us!
Fans will have the chance to get their questions answered by Tweeting them with the hashtag #AskMarvel. A panel of Marvel’s best and brightest from across the galaxy will tackle the most important questions in an impromptu-style Q&A session. Questions such as: What does Hawkeye do in his free time? What kind of pizza does the Punisher eat? If your character had their own fragrance line, what would it be called? New episodes will be made available every Thursday on Marvel.com and on Marvel’s YouTube page with guests like Charlie Cox, Joe Quesada, and many more scheduled to appear.
“We’ve been answering fans’ questions in our letters pages, at convention panels, and on our This Week in Marvel podcast for years, so we felt it was time to collect the burning questions our fandom constantly poses, get them in front of a wide array of Marvel folks, and put it all on video,” says Ryan Penagos, VP & Executive Editor for Marvel’s Digital Media Group.
What do you want to know Marvel fans? Start Tweeting your questions to #AskMarvel and tune in weekly to see if your questions make it to your favorite Marvel talking head.
Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing.
This may sound silly but this morning, I stood in the kitchen with my cup of coffee – and I cried. I was reading article after article about Alan Rickman and all the great roles he has played and tears just streamed down my face. Now I know it might sound strange because I didn’t know him personally, but on some level, I feel like I did.
Harry Potter
I was a “late comer” to the Harry Potter series. I read the books after all 7 had been written and 5 of the movies had been released. My husband was in the U.S. Navy and was deployed. We had no kids at the time and frankly, I was bored. I needed to find something to do. I had heard it was an incredible series so I picked up the first one. I read them all fairly quickly (in just a couple of weeks) because I just could not seem to put them down.
I remember sending my husband email after email talking about Severus Snape. How I knew he just had to be good deep down and how much I loved the character. Many emails, where my brain and opinions were going back and forth “He just can’t be bad!” “I knew he had a heart!” “Wait, how could he do that to Dumbledore? Not my Severus!”. Harry Potter is now one of my favorite book AND film series – because of Severus Snape. I adore that character. Something about him. How kind he truly is. How much he loved Lily. The things he sacrificed for Harry, when he didn’t have to.
A Sad Goodbye
I loved him so much that when we got two cats a little bit later, it just seemed right that we name them Severus and Sirius (and later on a Bellatrix came). After seeing the films, I loved Snape even more, which I never thought possible. I knew his true character because I had read all the books and wow – Alan Rickman played him perfectly. If you didn’t know the story, you would be back and forth on him, just as I was when I read the books. He played a straight face when he needed to. I sobbed when he died in the film. Sobbed. What an incredible talent that man was, and what a loss this world is dealing with right now (especially having lost David Bowie just a few short days ago).
As you might know, I have a Funko Pop Collection. Just this past weekend I was at the mall with my family and happened across a Severus Snape Funko Pop Figure. I was thrilled and snatched it right up. I collect pops and had been looking for this particular one for quite some time. Today, I look at it a little but differently than I did earlier this week.
There are countless other amazing roles that we all know Alan from (Die Hard, Love Actually, & Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), but Severus Snape is the one that sticks with me. From the beginning, something about him drew me in. I suppose it is true “Death comes for us all in the end.” Many are shedding tears for you today – and you will never be forgotten.
Disclosure: Mama Smith received this recipe inside Cathy Mitchell’s Crock Pot Dump Meals Cookbook, which she received in exchange for her honest opinion.
Being a busy mom of two young girls, I am always looking for easy recipes that I can set and forget. Between school, dance, and the gym – I barely have time to think. At least three nights a week, I make slow cooker meals. They are usually pretty easy and super delicious. My husband tends to get sick of the same thing over and over though, so I am always looking for new recipes to try out. I was really excited to flip through Cathy Mitchell’s Crock Pot Dump Meals cookbook and find some more go to recipes – and guess what, I found more than a few (and even some sides and desserts!). It features over 100 recipes from appetizers to desserts and I plan to feature a few over the rest of January since it is Slow Cooker Month. First up is….
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 cup water
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Directions
Combine soup, chicken, rice, water, celery, pepper, and paprika in slow cooker; stir to blend. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
I made this for dinner the other night and it was a huge with my husband and with my daughters (who are 3 and 4). The only complaint I have is my fault, that I let it warm a *tad* too long after it stopped cooking so it was a little drier than I would have liked. It was still delicious – and we even heated up the leftovers for dinner a couple nights later!
If you know me, than you know what a big movie lover I am. My husband and I almost always spend our one date night a month at the movies and we take our young daughters at least twice a month to a movie. Every week we have family movie night. I am so excited for this upcoming year of films – can we just talk about Marvel movies for a second? Captain America Civil War and Doctor Strange! Eeek – this Marvel fangirl cannot wait!!
May 6, 2016 – Captain America: Civil War (Marvel)
This is one movie that I have been waiting forever for. Since I read the comics, I know what it coming (kind of) and I cannot wait to see how it plays out on the big screen! We could be in for a lot of heartbreak and some amazing fights. I mean, just check out the trailer – that fight between Iron Man, Captain America, and Bucky! AMAZING! If the story line follows along with the comics… OK, OK, no (potential) spoilers… just go see it as soon as possible. You can bet that I will be seeing it the day it comes out. I cannot wait!
Synopsis
Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability. Get ready to pick a side and join the nonstop action playing out on two fronts when Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” opens in U.S. theaters on May 6, 2016.
Since I am a huge Marvel Comics fan, this is another one that I am really looking forward to. Some people who do not know anything about the comics might be thinking “Who is this guy?” – but I promise you, he is amazing. He is so powerful and this movie has the potential to be HUGE. Like Guardians of the Galaxy huge. I see these all tying together in the future and I am beyond excited about it. I cannot wait to see what Marvel (Disney) does with this film. I am super curious as to what story line they are going to go with and when/how they will introduce certain characters. I just know this is going to be great!
#DoctorStrange
Besides these Marvel Studios films (fangirling over here!!) – there are many other amazing movies coming out in 2016. I am looking forward to watching each and every one of them. Read a little bit about them below and let me know which ones you are looking forward to seeing the most in the comments.
January 29, 2016 –The Finest Hours (Walt Disney Studios)
Synopsis
A heroic action-thriller, “The Finest Hours” is the remarkable true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history. Presented in Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D, the film will transport audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale. On February 18, 1952, a massive nor’easter struck New England, pummeling towns along the Eastern seaboard and wreaking havoc on the ships caught in its deadly path, including the SS Pendleton, a T-2 oil tanker bound for Boston, which was literally ripped in half, trapping more than 30 sailors inside its rapidly-sinking stern. As the senior officer on board, first assistant engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) soon realizes it is up to him to take charge of the frightened crew and inspire the men to set aside their differences and work together to ride out one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast. Meanwhile, as word of the disaster reaches the U.S. Coast Guard station in Chatham, Massachusetts, Warrant Officer Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) orders a daring operation to rescue the stranded men. Despite overwhelming odds, four men, led by Coast Guard Captain Bernie Webber (Chris Pine), set out in a wooden lifeboat with an ill-equipped engine and little, if any, means of navigation, facing frigid temperatures, 60-foot high waves and hurricane-force winds.
Disney’s “The Finest Hours” is the unforgettable story of the Coast Guard’s courageous mission, which is directed by Craig Gillespie and stars: Chris Pine; Academy Award® and Golden Globe® nominee Casey Affleck; Ben Foster;Holliday Grainger; John Ortiz; and Eric Bana. Produced by Jim Whitaker and Dorothy Aufiero, the screenplay is by Oscar® nominee Scott Silver and Oscar nominees Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson based on the acclaimed non-fiction book of the same name by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. Doug Merrifield serves as executive producer.
March 4, 2016 – Zootopia (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Synopsis
The modern mammal metropolis of Zootopia is a city like no other. Comprised of habitat neighborhoods like ritzy Sahara Square and frigid Tundratown, it’s a melting pot where animals from every environment live together—a place where no matter what you are, from the biggest elephant to the smallest shrew, you can be anything. But when optimistic Officer Judy Hopps (voice of Ginnifer Goodwin) arrives, she discovers that being the first bunny on a police force of big, tough animals isn’t so easy. Determined to prove herself, she jumps at the opportunity to crack a case, even if it means partnering with a fast-talking, scam-artist fox, Nick Wilde (voice of Jason Bateman), to solve the mystery. Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Zootopia,” is a comedy-adventure directed by Byron Howard (“Tangled,” “Bolt”) and Rich Moore (“Wreck-It Ralph,” “The Simpsons”) and co-directed by Jared Bush (“Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero”).
April 15, 2016 – The Jungle Book (Walt Disney Studios)
Synopsis
Directed by Jon Favreau (“Iron Man”), based on Rudyard Kipling’s timeless stories and inspired by Disney’s classic animated film, “The Jungle Book” is an all-new live-action epic adventure about Mowgli (newcomer Neel Sethi), a man-cub who’s been raised by a family of wolves. But Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voice of Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat. Urged to abandon the only home he’s ever known, Mowgli embarks on a captivating journey of self-discovery, guided by panther-turned-stern mentor Bagheera (voice of Ben Kingsley), and the free-spirited bear Baloo (voice of Bill Murray). Along the way, Mowgli encounters jungle creatures who don’t exactly have his best interests at heart, including Kaa (voice of Scarlett Johansson), a python whose seductive voice and gaze hypnotizes the man-cub, and the smooth-talking King Louie (voice of Christopher Walken), who tries to coerce Mowgli into giving up the secret to the elusive and deadly red flower: fire.
The all-star cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of the fiercely protective mother wolf Raksha, and Giancarlo Esposito as the voice of wolf pack’s alpha male Akela. “The Jungle Book” seamlessly blends live-action with photorealistic CGI animals and environments, using up-to-the-minute technology and storytelling techniques to immerse audiences in an enchanting and lush world.
May 27, 2016 – Alice Through the Looking Glass (Walt Disney Studios)
Synopsis In Disney’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” an all-new spectacular adventure featuring the unforgettable characters from Lewis Carroll’s beloved stories, Alice returns to the whimsical world of Underland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter. Directed by James Bobin, who brings his own unique vision to the spectacular world Tim Burton created on screen in 2010 with “Alice in Wonderland,” the film is written by Linda Woolverton based on characters created by Lewis Carroll and produced by Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd and Jennifer Todd and Tim Burton with John G. Scotti serving as executive producer. “Alice Through the Looking Glass” reunites the all-star cast from the worldwide blockbuster phenomenon, including: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska and Helena Bonham Carter along with the voices of Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall. We are also introduced to several new characters: Zanik Hightopp (Rhys Ifans), the Mad Hatter’s father and Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen), a peculiar creature who is part human, part clock. Alice Kingsleigh (Wasikowska) has spent the past few years following in her father’s footsteps and sailing the high seas. Upon her return to London, she comes across a magical looking glass and returns to the fantastical realm of Underland and her friends the White Rabbit (Sheen), Absolem (Rickman), the Cheshire Cat (Fry) and the Mad Hatter (Depp), who is not himself. The Hatter has lost his Muchness, so Mirana (Hathaway) sends Alice on a quest to borrow the Chronosphere, a metallic globe inside the chamber of the Grand Clock which powers all time. Returning to the past, she comes across friends – and enemies – at different points in their lives, and embarks on a perilous race to save the Hatter before time runs out.
Synopsis
Disney•Pixar’s “FindingDory” reunites everyone’s favorite forgetful blue tang, Dory, with her friends Nemo and Marlin on a search for answers about her past. What can she remember? Who are her parents? And where did she learn to speak Whale? Directed by Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E”) and produced by Lindsey Collins (co-producer “WALL•E”), the film features the voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill, Kaitlin Olson, Ty Burrell, Eugene Levy and Diane Keaton.
Synopsis The talents of three of the world’s greatest storytellers – Roald Dahl, Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg – finally unite to bring Dahl’s beloved classic “The BFG” to life. Directed by Spielberg, Disney’s “The BFG” tells the imaginative story of a young girl and the Giant who introduces her to the wonders and perils of Giant Country. “I think it was kind of genius of Roald Dahl to be able to empower the children. It was very, very brave of him to introduce that combination of darkness and light which was so much Disney’s original signature in a lot of their earlier works like in ‘Dumbo,’ ‘Fantasia,’ ‘Snow White’ and ‘Cinderella,’ and being able to do scary, but also be redemptive at the same time and teach a lesson, an enduring lesson, to everyone, it was a wonderful thing for Dahl to have done, and it was one of the things that attracted me to want to direct this Dahl book,” says Spielberg.
The BFG (Mark Rylance), while a giant himself, is a Big Friendly Giant and nothing like the other inhabitants of Giant Country. Standing 24-feet tall with enormous ears and a keen sense of smell, he is endearingly dim-witted and keeps to himself for the most part. Giants like Bloodbottler (Bill Hader) and Fleshlumpeater (Jemaine Clement) on the other hand, are twice as big and at least twice as scary and have been known to eat humans, while the BFG prefers Snozzcumber and Frobscottle. Upon her arrival in Giant Country, Sophie, a precocious 10-year-old girl from London, is initially frightened of the mysterious giant who has brought her to his cave, but soon comes to realize that the BFG is actually quite gentle and charming, and, having never met a giant before, has many questions. The BFG brings Sophie to Dream Country where he collects dreams and sends them to children, teaching her all about the magic and mystery of dreams.
Having both been on their own in the world up until now, their affection for one another quickly grows. But Sophie’s presence in Giant Country has attracted the unwanted attention of the other giants, who have become increasingly more bothersome. Says Spielberg, “It’s a story about friendship, it’s a story about loyalty and protecting your friends and it’s a story that shows that even a little girl can help a big giant solve his biggest problems.” Sophie and the BFG soon depart for London to see the Queen (Penelope Wilton) and warn her of the precarious giant situation, but they must first convince the Queen and her maid, Mary (Rebecca Hall), that giants do indeed exist. Together, they come up with a plan to get rid of the giants once and for all.
August 12, 2016 – Pete’s Dragon (Walt Disney Studios)
Synopsis
The heartwarming adventure of an orphaned boy named Pete and his best friend Elliott, who just so happens to be a dragon, “Pete’s Dragon” is directed by David Lowery, produced by Jim Whitaker, and executive-produced by Barrie Osborne, and also stars Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley, Karl Urban, Oona Laurence and Robert Redford.
#PetesDragon
Fall 2016 – Queen of Katwe (Walt Disney Studios)
Synopsis “Queen of Katwe,” is which is based on the inspirational true story of a girl from the poverty-stricken slums of rural Uganda who dreams of becoming a champion chess player. Directed by Mira Nair from a screenplay by William Wheeler based on the book by Tim Crothers, “Queen of Katwe” stars Nyong’o, David Oyelowo and newcomer Medina Nalwanga.
#QueenOfKatwe
November 23, 2016 – Moana (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Synopsis
Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast South Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped – and no one today knows why. From Walt Disney Animation Studios comes “Moana,” a sweeping, CG-animated adventure about a spirited teenager who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest. During her journey, Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) meets the once-mighty demi-god Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson), and together, they traverse the open ocean on an action-packed voyage, encountering enormous fiery creatures and impossible odds. Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (“The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” “The Princess & the Frog”), and produced by Osnat Shurer (“Lifted,” “One Man Band”).
December 16, 2016 – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Lucasfilm)
Synopsis “Rogue One” is the first of the standalone Star Wars stories to hit the big screen, which has commenced principal photography. Gareth Edwards (“Godzilla,” “Monsters”) is directing “Rogue One,” which tells the story of resistance fighters who have united to steal plans to the dreaded Death Star. The filmmakers have assembled a stellar cast, including Felicity Jones, nominated for an Academy Award® for her leading role in “The Theory of Everything”; Diego Luna, who was featured in 2008’s Oscar®-winning “Milk”and the critically acclaimed “Killing Them Softly”; Ben Mendelsohn, recently nominated for an Emmy® for his leading role in “Bloodline” and co-starring in the upcoming “Mississippi Grind”; Donnie Yen, Hong Kong action star and martial artist who starred in “Ip Man” and “Blade II”; Jiang Wen, who co-wrote, produced , directed and starred in the award-winning “Let the Bullets Fly” and “Devils on the Doorstep”; Forest Whitaker, recently featured in the critically-acclaimed Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” and winner of an Academy Award® for his leading role in 2006’s “The Last King of Scotland; Mads Mikkelsen, who starred in “The Hunt” and was the memorable villain from 2006’s “Casino Royale”; Alan Tudyk, who plays a performance-capture character in “Rogue One,” stars in the soon-to-be-released “Con Man” series and “Trumbo,” which releases this November; and Riz Ahmed, who was recently featured in “Nightcrawler” and starred in the BAFTA-winning film “Four Lions.”
#RogueOne
TBD 2016 – The Light Between Oceans (DreamWorks Pictures)
HOLLYWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 14: (L-R) Director J.J. Abrams, producer Kathleen Kennedy, chairman, The Walt Disney Studios, Alan Horn and president, The Walt Disney Studios, Alan Bergman speak onstage during the World Premiere of ?Star Wars: The Force Awakens? at the Dolby, El Capitan, and TCL Theatres on December 14, 2015 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney) *** Local Caption *** J.J. Abrams;Kathleen Kennedy;Alan Horn;Alan Bergman
This afternoon, with early box office results in, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS became the highest grossing film of all time in the domestic market, surpassing the $760.5M lifetime gross of Avatar in a record-shattering 20 days of release. In addition, the film crossed the $800M mark at the international box office today! Through Jan. 5, the film had grossed $758.2M domestically and $799.1M for a global total of $1,557.3M since its Dec. 16 global debut.
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS debuted in the US and Canada on Dec. 18, its first two weeks pushing the domestic annual industry box office to an all-time high of $11B. It has set numerous individual records including:
Fastest film to reach $100M (21 hours), $200M (3 days), $300M (5 days), $400M (8 days), $500M (10 days), $600M (12 days), and $700M (16 days)
Biggest all-time debut and biggest December debut ($247.966M), propelling the industry to the biggest overall moviegoing weekend of all time ($313.3M for all films, Dec. 18-20)
Biggest second weekend of all time ($149.2M), propelling the industry to the biggest overall Christmas weekend of all time ($296.4M for all films, Dec. 25-27)
Biggest third weekend of all time ($90.2M)
Biggest Thursday preview gross ($57M)
Biggest Friday, opening, and single day ($119.1M)
Biggest Sunday ($60.55M), Monday ($40.1M), and Tuesday ($37.3M)
Biggest Christmas Day ($49.3M) and New Year’s Day ($34.39M)
Highest per-theater average for a wide debut ($59,982)
Biggest opening week ($390.85M)
Biggest IMAX debut ($30.1M)
Globally, the film posted the highest global opening weekend of all time ($528.967M) and surpassed $1B in a record 12 days. It also had the biggest global IMAX debut ($48M) and surpassed $152M in IMAX in a record 19 days. It was the highest international debut in December history with $281M, and it remains #1 in many territories after posting the biggest opening weekend in at least 18 major markets.
Named one of AFI’s top 10 films of 2015, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS now heads into its fourth weekend of global release ahead of a debut in its final international market, China, on Jan. 9.
I went to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens the day that it came out and was blown away. My husband and I are already planning on going to see it again for our next date night (mind you, we get one a month so these are not to be taken lightly). Keeping this a spoiler free zone – it is an incredible film. It is very well done and I believe new and old fans alike will be pleased. Rey is one bada*s girl and I am proud to say that my daughters already idolize her (and they have not even seen the film yet). She is a great role model for any young girl. If you have not seen Star Wars yet, what are you waiting for? Even if you have not seen the other ones, I am pretty sure you will love this one (and then you will want to go back and watch the other ones).
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