Cinnamon Hollow Reviews

WHOA MAMA! Disney’s John Carter – Taylor Kitsch Featurette

March 14, 2012 By Crystal 1 Comment

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Have you seen Disney’s “John Carter” yet? I have not but I want to. The thing is, I also want to see “The Hunger Games” really badly and we have a mini vacay coming up so I have to limit mine and the Hubby’s date nights. I think am going to wait for “The Hunger Games” in a few weeks because I have read the trilogy and have been waiting [im]patiently for the movie.

Ok, back to “John Carter”! I mentioned the other day how gorgeous this cast is. (Along with a fun fact sheet) The entire cast is truly beautiful, including John Carter himself, Taylor Kitsch. I mean, just look at those photos above. PHEW! hehehehe

So, for today, I have a Taylor Kitsch featurette for you. Enjoy! And let me know if you have seen or are planning on seeing “John Carter”!

“Like” JOHN CARTER on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JohnCarterMovie and visit the official site: http://www.disney.com/johncarter

JOHN CARTER is now playing in theatres everywhere!

Disclosure: Information/Images provided by Walt Disney Studios and used with permission.

Filed Under: Movies, Video Tagged With: john carter, John Carter's Taylor Kitsch Featurette, Taylor Kitsch, video

Disney’s John Carter Fun Facts and 10 Things Parents Should Know.

March 9, 2012 By Crystal Leave a Comment

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One thing I know about Disney’s film John Carter is that the cast is absolutely GORGEOUS! Just look at the two characters in the photo above. Beautiful! My 12 year old son wants to see this movie but I don’t know a lot about it. Being a Disney film doesn’t always mean it is fully appropriate for children but an article on GeekDad, who had an advanced screening, answers some questions we, as parents, may have regarding the film.

Here are the Q&A’s from the article. Used with permission!

WIRED

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2012/03/10-things-john-carter/

10 Things Parents Should Know About Disney’s John Carter

By Tony Sims

I recently had the tremendous privilege to see an advanced screening of Disney’s John Carter. I know there have been many mixed signals in the media lately concerning this movie. I hope that the answers to these questions help our readers make a more informed decision for themselves.

1. What’s it all about?

The author, Edgar Rice Burroughs, wrote the John Carter series of sci-fi/adventure stories about 100 years ago. Burroughs was also the author of Tarzan and many other stories. The main character, John Carter, is transported to the planet Mars. On Mars, he discovers he has superior physical abilities, such as the ability to leap 100 yards and unmatched physical strength. He eventually wins the respect of the local population of alien creatures know as the Tharks. He also becomes involved in assisting the human-like royalty of Mars against the uprising of a group who seeks to strip-mine the planet. If any of these concepts sound familiar – that is because much of our superhero fantasy and science-fiction over the past century has been created from ideas borrowed from Burroughs’ classics.

2. Will I like it?

Yes. If you are reading this site, most likely yes. If you like Star Wars or any other action sci-fi, then yes. You can really tell this movie was created with the passion that only a lifelong fan of this series could devote. Andrew Stanton, the writer/director, was actually working on this film’s screenplay while WALL-E was still in production (before a studio even signed on to do the project).

3. Will my kids like it?

If they are like you and you agree to the above, then yes. I plan on taking my 7-year-old son this weekend and I believe he will love it. It has something for everyone. Take your daughters to see this. It has amazing, strong female characters. In fact, many times they are the ones to fight the battles. Everyone will love Woola by the way – you’ll see.

4. How faithful is it to the books?

Disclaimer – I have not read the books in over 20 years. Even though many sites state that this movie is based on The Princess of Mars, actually it uses elements from Burroughs’ first three books in the series. This way, the audience gets to see the best parts of a third of the series, including more alien life and epic battles. One main difference between the books and movie is how he is transported to Mars; but fans of the book most likely won’t be disappointed with this change.

5. When’s the best time for a bathroom break?

At exactly 1 hour and 5 minutes in there are a few minutes of dialogue you could miss. When the heroes stop for a breather after the halfway point battle – head to the latrine.

6. How are the special effects?

Fantastic. What else could you expect from a movie that was created by Andrew Stanton? The man is behind WALL-E, Toy Story (1, 2 & 3), Finding Nemo, A Bug’s Life, and Monsters, Inc. Not to mention (if you believe the press buzz going around), this movie had a budget of nearly a billion dollars. The imagery is simple breath-taking.

7. What about the 3D?

This is probably one of the only movies where I would say that seeing it in 3D is worth it. Stanton made this movie to use 3D effects just to give the movie depth. This means that there are no “gimmicks” that use the 3D to overwhelm the viewer with “jumping out of the screen” surprises. Also this movie is filmed in primarily desert type regions, so the subtle darkening effect that 3D glasses tend to have on movies is not as noticeable. That being said, seeing it in 2D would not diminish the quality of the movie either.

8. It is rated PG-13. How PG-13 is it?

This was one of my primary concerns. I have younger children, so I wanted to see if this would be a movie I could introduce them to. Here’s the skinny: there is a lot of violence. The majority of the bloodshed is greenish alien blood, so some parents might find it easier to stomach with their children than others. Most of the fighting is sword play, so keep that in mind also. Hardly any foul language is spoken and there are no real intimate moments that need young eyes covered. [SPOILER ALERT, BUT IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TAKING YOUNG CHILDREN] The one real moment I had concern about occurs in a flashback sequence where you briefly see the clothed remains of his dead wife and child. This is the one event that is a bit disturbing on anyone’s eyes – young or old. This scene takes place during an onslaught of a fight scene. If you want to cover younger eyes, here it is – when the Thark army is taking on John Carter by himself, he goes into a sort of battle rage. When you see this scene, he will flashback to images of his Virginia home which was burned to the ground, he will go back to the fight, the next flashback is that image – after that it is done. [END SPOILER]

Your mileage may vary on this. I will be taking my 7-year-old to see it, but he has also seen the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy (does that make me a bad dad?). If he can handle the battle of Helm’s Deep, then he can definitely handle this.

9. It is a Disney movie. Why can I not find any John Carter toys in the stores?

Disney decided with this movie not to license mass market toys. I know, this is a strange decision; after all, they produced Pirates of the Caribbean toys! Well, that has a good bit to do with it also. The other non-animated toy lines which have been produced in the past have never been big hits except with the collectors. With that in mind, Disney is only going to license John Carter to higher-end collectibles manufacturers. If the movie proves to be huge and the sequels get their green lights, then maybe we will see the mass market open up.

10. Will I want to see it again?

Yes – and you will hope that it does well enough to merit the two sequels that Andrew Stanton already has written and is ready to produce. You will probably want to go ahead and pre-order it on Blu-ray as well.

So, there you have it. Thanks GeekDad!

Click here to download a sheet full of fun facts (pdf format) about the Disney movie John Carter: Disney\'s John Carter Fun Facts (112)

“Like” JOHN CARTER on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JohnCarterMovie and visit the official site: http://www.disney.com/johncarter

JOHN CARTER arrives in theatres everywhere on March 9th!

Disclosure: Information provided by GeekDad, http://www.wired.com, Walt Disney Studios and used with permission. No monetary compensation was received.

Filed Under: Movies, Video Tagged With: disney, disney films, disneys john carter, film, john carter, movie

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS Trailer and images

March 1, 2012 By Crystal 3 Comments

Are you a fan of Marvel Comics? Are you excited about MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS? Well, here is a little preview for you along with some great graphics of scenes from the movie! {Click on each image to view larger}

Here is a preview for you too!

“Like” MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MarvelsTheAvengers

Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/avengers

Marvel Studios presents “Marvel’s The Avengers”—the Super Hero team up of a lifetime, featuring iconic Marvel Super Heroes Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner and Tom Hiddleston, with Stellan Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson, and written and directed by Joss Whedon, “Marvel’s The Avengers” is based on the ever-popular Marvel comic book series “The Avengers,” first published in 1963 and a comics institution ever since. Prepare yourself for an exciting event movie, packed with action and spectacular special effects, when “Marvel’s The Avengers” assemble in summer 2012.

In “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Super Heroes team up to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security.

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS hits theaters on May 4^th!

Disclosure: Materials provided by Walt Disney Studios. No monetary compensation was received for this post.

Filed Under: Movie Trailers, Movies, Video Tagged With: MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS, MARVEL'S THE AVENGERS Trailer and images

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY Trailer and Free Downloadable Activity Sheets

March 1, 2012 By Crystal Leave a Comment

I have some fun printables for you from the movie THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY, starring the lovely Bridgit Mendler, along with a preview of the trailer. Feel free to download the following pdf and print out some or all of the activity sheets.

I’m a little behind in sharing some great Disney printables with you and will be playing catch up over the coming weeks. So, some of the movies may be a month or two out already but I’m sure your children will still love the fun activity packets!

Download your activity pack here: THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY (117)

Bridgit Mendler from Disney's "Good Luck Charlie"

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY:

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all. From the legendary Studio Ghibli (“Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”) comes “The Secret World of Arrietty,” an animated adventure based on Mary Norton’s acclaimed children’s book series “The Borrowers.”

Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger. The English language version of “The Secret World of Arrietty” was executive produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, and directed by Gary Rydstrom. The film hits theaters Feb. 17, 2012.

Notes:

Hayao Miyazaki is one of the most influential and admired filmmakers working in animation today and is a major figure in the Japanese cinematic landscape. His films have inspired moviegoers and colleagues around the world, from Pixar’s John Lasseter to fantasist Guillermo del Toro to Chinese director Tsui Hark, and consistently top the box office in his native Japan.
Director Hiromasa Yonebayashi, a top animator at Studio Ghibli, was responsible for the animation in a signature scene in “Ponyo,” in which Ponyo runs atop ocean waves.
English language voice talent director Gary Rydstrom is a seven-time Academy Award^Òwinning sound designer/mixer (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”). He joined Pixar Animation Studios as an animation film director in 2003. His directorial debut for the studio was the Academy Award^®-nominated short film “Lifted,” and he directed the short film “Hawaiian Vacation,” which was released with “Cars 2” in June 2011.
Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall are highly successful producing partners whose films, separately and together, include “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “E.T.,” “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?,” the Indiana Jones films and the Jurassic Park films. In total, Kennedy and Marshall have earned 11 Oscar® nominations.
English language screenplay writer Karey Kilpatrick’s credits include “Spiderwick Chronicles” and “Over the Hedge,” which he also directed (with Tim Johnson).

‘Like’ THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/SecretWorldOfArriety

THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY opened in theaters everywhere on February 17th!

Disclosure: Materials provided by Walt Disney Studios. No monetary compensation was received for this post.

Filed Under: Downloads, Movie Trailers, Movies, Video Tagged With: Free Downloadable Activity Sheets, printables, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY printables, THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY Trailer

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life movie trailer and downloadable writer Q&A

February 28, 2012 By Crystal 1 Comment

My family and I just finished watching a very cute new movie by Phase 4 Films, entitled Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. My family is made up of ages 2 – 34 and I can honestly say that we all enjoyed watching it. It started out a little slow but once the movie got going, it was fun and entertaining with a wonderful and heartfelt message about life. There was even a hint of romance if you paid close attention.

Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy (Sizzy) went on an adventure together to find 4 keys that would unlock a box given to him by his late father for his 13th birthday. Inside this box was supposed to be the “meaning of life”. Jeremy learned so many valuable life lessons on his hunt. He made new friendships and faced certain fears that had been plaguing him since his fathers passing.

This is a great movie for family of all ages. The 6 of us had a wonderful family movie night together and Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life made it perfect!

ABOUT THE MOVIE:

Based on the beloved children’s novel by Wendy Mass, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life is a family-friendly adventure film starring Academy Award^® winner Mira Sorvino and Emmy Award^® winner Joe Pantoliano.

Beginning March 6, 2012, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life will be available on DVD, on demand and in digital release.

In the movie, 12-year-old Jeremy Fink receives a mysterious wooden box with the words “The Meaning of Life – for Jeremy Fink to open on his 13 birthday.” The box has four locks, but the keys are lost. In order to find out what secrets lie within the box, it’s up to Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy to search high and low throughout Manhattan for clues to the keys.

The adventure takes them from flea markets to science museums, and the duo meet an assortment of wacky and interesting characters along the way. Each encounter unlocks a clue, bringing them closer to finding out just what’s in the box – and ultimately the greatest secret of them all!

The DVD is loaded with special features, including cast interviews, deleted scenes, bloopers, a limited edition embossed o-card with glitter spotting, and a downloadable audio reading by author Wendy Mass of the book’s first chapter.

The film is rated PG with a run time of 88 minutes. The suggested retail price for the DVD is $29.99.

For more information about Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, please visit www.Phase4Films.com, www.facebook.com/phase4films or @Phase4Films.

PRESS RELEASE

PHASE 4 FILMS ANNOUNCES THE DVD, ON DEMAND, AND DIGITAL

RELEASE OF THE FAMILY ADVENTURE

JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE

ON MARCH 6, 2012

Starring Mira Sorvino, Joe Pantoliano, Ryan Simpkins & Maxwell Beer

Phase 4 Films is pleased to announce the DVD, on demand, and digital release of JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE on March 6, 2012. Written and directed by Tamar Halpern, this family adventure boasts a critically acclaimed cast including Academy Award® winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, Leningrad) and Emmy Award® winner Joe Pantoliano (Memento, The Matrix, “The Sopranos”). The film also stars Ryan Simpkins (Revolutionary Road, A Single Man) and introduces up-and-coming young actor Maxwell Beer as Jeremy Fink. Based on the beloved children’s novel by Wendy Mass, JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE is loaded with special features including cast interviews, deleted scenes, bloopers, a limited edition embossed o-card with glitter spotting and a downloadable audio reading by author Wendy Mass of the book’s first chapter.

A month before his 13th birthday, Jeremy Fink receives a mysterious wooden box with the words “The Meaning of Life – for Jeremy Fink to open on his 13th birthday.” It has four locks, but the keys are lost. In order to find out what secrets lie within the box, it’s up to Jeremy and his best friend Lizzy to use their imaginations to search high and low throughout Manhattan for clues. Their adventure takes them from flea markets to science museums, meeting wacky and interesting characters along the way. Each encounter unlocks a clue to bring them closer to finding out the contents of the box and ultimately discovering the greatest secret of them all!

Phase 4 Films will release JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE on DVD at all major retailers for a $29.99 SRP in the U.S. and a $32.99 SRP in Canada. The film will also be available on demand and digital outlets.

Download a free Q&A with Tamar Halpern, writer and director of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life (pdf format)
Q&A WITH TAMAR HALPERN, WRITER AND DIRECTOR JEREMY FINK AND THE MEANING OF LIFE (106)