Check out these awesome Muppet Saga photos- Bella Swine, genius! The Muppets opens November 23 in theaters everywhere!
The Muppet Saga- Team Kermit?
Disney Movie News & Reviews
Free Downloadable Demo of Disney Universe Online
In addition to the downloadable demo of the game, consumers who are interested in getting a first-hand look at Disney Universe can also visit a participating Best Buy store beginning December 12. Select store locations will have an Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system available for consumers to play the demo of the game.
Disney Universe offers a four-person multiplayer action experience, with frenzied gameplay that appeals to players of all ages. The game features 45 classic and contemporary iconic character costumes inspired by well-known and legendary properties, such as the Disney•Pixar hits WALL•Eand Monsters, Inc., Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Academy Award® winning classics, The Lion King and Aladdin. You can check out a review at my friend and fellow Disney blogger’s site DisneyEveryDay.com, with review from another friend, John Saccheri, who you may remember from his touching Give Kids the World post here last year. Check out the trailer below:
The downloadable demo available now features swashbuckling adventures with the first level of the game’s Pirates of the Caribbean world and includes costumes inspired by Stitch from Lilo & Stitch, Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc., Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean and one of Disney’s most beloved characters of all time, Mickey Mouse.
Disney Universe is now available for the Xbox 360®video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Wii™ system from Nintendo and Windows PC.
Published by Disney Interactive Studios, Disney Universe is rated E10+. Please visit www.DisneyUniverse.com for more information.
For more information about Disney Universe, please visit www.DisneyUniverse.com. DisneyUniverse is now available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation, Wii and Windows PC.
Winnie the Pooh Brings His Hunny to DVD
After seeing Winnie the Pooh in theaters this summer, I was excited to get the DVD+Blu-ray combo pack and share it with my 3 year-old. He hadn’t seen it with me when it came out because he was still at the age where I worried he wouldn’t make it through the whole film. However the minute I popped it in the Blu-ray player, he was enthralled. You can read my review of the film if you’d like, here I’ll just cover the DVD and Blu-ray extras.
Of course, as mentioned in the review, I loved the Ballad of Nessie, and still did on the Blu-ray. It’s so heartwarming and a fun little lesson for children. One thing I noticed watching it at home is I really heard the lovely Zooey Deschanel songs better and really enjoyed hearing them.
The Blu-ray bonus features aren’t too many in number, but with a primarily kids film, I don’t think they are really necessary anyway. These aren’t film buffs Disney is aiming at but there’s just enough behind-the-scenes fun to keep them entertained:
Blu-ray ™Bonus Features:
· Exclusive bonus short “Mini-Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Balloon” – In this charming short, Pooh comes up with a daring plan to get a hold of some honey by fooling a group of bees.
· “The Ballad of Nessie” – The animated short film included in the theatrical release is the heartwarming tale of how Nessie found her new home in the Loch Ness.
· “Winnie the Pooh and His Story Too” – A fun and informative behind-the-scenes look at the film, designed for the whole family. Hosted by John Cleese (narrator of the film), and with occasional help fromPooh himself, this featurette explores Winnie the Pooh’s history from his beginnings as a character in a book, to his continued life in the movies. The filmmakers reveal how they worked to keep the look of the characters and settings in this movie consistent with their first appearances on-screen in1966. Pooh, being a bear of very little mind, finds much of this confusing, but the Narrator and the filmmakers make it all clear to Pooh – and you!
· Deleted Scenes introduced by directors, Stephen Anderson and Don Hall – 5 deleted scenes including “The Tummy Song,” “”Rabbit’s Friends and Relations,” “Original Eeyore Intro,” “Original Tigger Intro” and “Pooh Searches for a Tail”
· Sing-Along with the Movie – Follow the red balloon and changing word colors to seven song lyrics featured in the film.
· Disney Song Selection – “Winnie the Pooh Theme Song,” “The Tummy Song, “A Very Important Thing To Do,” “The Backson Song,” “It’s Gonna Be Great,” “Everything is Honey” and “The Winner Song Finale”
The DVD bonus features are limited to the Ballad of Nessie, The Balloon, and 3 deleted scenes. Here’s a fun look at the real Hundred Acre Wood.
Winnie the Pooh is available now on DVD, Blu-ray, combo pack and digital download.
Kinect Disneyland Adventures Gameplay Preview
Friend and zannaland correspondent Nicole Siscaretti got to experience Disneyland Adventures first hand, as one of the games creators explains the ins and outs of the game. Things like “you never die in Disneyland” (you just splat and come right back) and how you collect coins and can then purchase costumes for your avatar in Bibiddi Bobbidi Boutique within the game.
Kinect Disneyland Adventures arrives in stores November 15th. Be sure to pick it up for your adventurer or the whole family!
Three New MUPPETS Film Clips to Enjoy!
I was just sent these clips and they’ve made me even more excited to see the all-new The Muppets movie opening on November 23rd! The second clip in particular is a perfect example of classic Muppet humor –
Pirates of the Caribbean Costumes for the Whole Family!
With the recent release of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
on Blu-ray 3D & Blu-ray Hi-Def Combo Pack, there will probably be quite a few swashbucklers ringing your bell for candy treasure in a couple of days! Disney was kind enough to send me some Pirates of the Caribbean Costumes
to outfit my own crew, so I thought I’d share some of our fun photos here to show what a great option these costumes are for the whole family. I must add, if I could get my 12 and 11 year old to not only agree on costumes, but actually wear them too, you know these are a great choice! With so many fun pirate-themed days and activities throughout the year, you never know when you might need a great costume like these.
If you need to get more inspiration, check out this clip from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides –
Guest Post-Spooky Top 5: Disney Halloween Movies
Here’s another great post from Ryan Wilson of the Main St. Gazette – enjoy! ~Zanna
The leaves have been rustling here, and it is getting darker earlier in the evenings, which can mean only one thing, in just a few days princesses, pirates, monsters, cowgirls, and bugs will be descending upon our streets in search of sweet treats! This, of course, makes it the perfect time to watch a spooky movie with the ones you love the most. Here are my top five Disney flickswhich are sure to give you just as many tricks as they do treats!I need to start off with two dishonorable mentions. Arguably, the two most frightening attractions in Walt Disney World and Disneyland are The Haunted Mansion
and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror
. Films based upon both of these attractions have been created, with all-star casts attached, but both features fall well short of their potential. Still, for images that remind you of your favorite attraction, or just a bit of family fun, they will do the trick in a pinch.
Number 5 – The Black Cauldron
(1985)
The Black Cauldron, it is said, has the power to bring the dead back to life as a warrior horde. The Horned King, a villain who is sure to send shivers down your spine, seeks the cauldron in order to raise just such an army. However, this is a classic fantasy journey, and the scores of undead are met with plenty to smile and laugh about. This animated feature was seven years in the making, and it feels as if it could have used a couple more years cooking in the cauldron, but still manages to deliver the good vs. evil action!
Number 4 – Hocus Pocus
(1993)
Set in Salem, MA in the 17th Century and the early 1990s, this film features a trio of inadvertently humorous witches brought back from beyond the grave. The Sanderson sisters, portrayed by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker, use their witchy ways to suck the life out of children in order to maintain the young(ish) beauty (if they say so…). After being summoned to the present day, it is up to the children who accidentally brought them back to stop them, along with their talking cat. This film shows that comedy really can be scary!
Number 3 – Animated Shorts
There are tons of animated shorts that would make for the perfect Halloween viewing. These are just a few of my favorites spooky shorts. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949) features Ichabod Crane who has run afoul of the Headless Horseman. Bing Crosby’s narration is sure to give you chills! Night on Bald Mountain (Fantasia
– 1940) is the darkest segment of Fantasia and features the heavy Chernabog, the second most memorable character from Fantasia who remains a time-tested, fan-favorite Disney Villain to this day. Chernabog’s beckoning to the dead is sure to frighten even the bravest of souls. Lastly, The Skeleton Dance (1929). This short is the first of the Silly Symphonies
and is sure to spark ghoulish grins for the whole family.
Number 2 – Nightmare Before Christmas
(1993)
This Halloween-Christmas hybrid, which fans watch all the year round, features jack Skellington, the King of the Pumpkin Patch who wishes for something more that scares and finds it in Christmas. While the citizens of Halloween Town may seem terrifying to adults at first glance, the non-menacing way in which they are utilized, along with the terrific songs, call kids back to this film again and again. Though the dastardly Oogie Boogie, may draw out a scream or two, especially from insect-phobic children and moms!
Number 1 – Something Wicked This Way Comes
(1983)
This movie, featuring Jonathan Pryce as the enigmatic Mr. Dark, is the real deal folks. Based upon Ray Bradbury’s novel of the same name, Mr. Dark and his carnival blow into Greentown one fateful autumn evening. They’ve come to town seeking to grant the residents’ wildest wishes… for a price. What secrets are held within the Pandemonium Carnival and can Mr. Dark be stopped by a librarian and two young boys? You’ll have to watch the film to find out, but be warned, it is not for the faint of heart!
Arrr! There Be a Giveaway On Stranger Tides Ahead!
The dvd and blu-ray are on shelves today, October 18, but you could win a copy without giving up a single one of your pieces of eight, or setting fire to a single village. And there be great bonus features on this shiny treasure. Just look at some of the concept art:
To enter, simply comment below (pirate speak optional but encouraged!) with your favorite character from any of the Pirates of the Caribbean films (or attractions!).
Earn additional entries by:
Hitting “Like” on Zannaland’s facebook page
Tweeting about the giveaway – you can copy and paste this into your tweet:
“Avast! There be treasure @Zannaland .com & I be settin’ my sails to plunder it. Ye can too http://t.co/ii5YC77A #PoTC4Giveaway “
Please comment below for each additional entry so I can count and enter them in the total entries. Thanks and may fortune favor ye!
Giveaway ends on Sunday, October 23 at midnight eastern time. Winner will be posted Monday on this page.
Congrats to Audrey Bloomberg who was our winner chosen at random! Please email me your mailing address at zanna @ zannaland.com 😀
And if ye aren’t chosen, ye can still get $5 off the dvd+blu-ray combo pack by clicking below!
Guest Post: Kingdom of Courage
for the first time, I tweeted out something to the effect that followers should be marking their calendars as the return of True-Life Adventures would begin on 22 April 2011. Today, having viewed the movie in theaters and now in my home, I stand by that unsubstantiated assertion that I felt down in my gut.It isn’t that the creatures featured have been given names to make them more relatable, you find the true depth to the film in its natural narrative of life. The joys of children, the heartache of loss, the thrills of success, and the agony of defeat at the hands of a rival are all present within African Cats, and they are captured without the meddling hands of man. This can cause many stomach churning dilemmas, such as when a cub is lost and the immediate thought is to swoop in and keep a toddling cheetah cub to its safe when hyenas are on the prowl or when one of our heroines is continually injured and seeks a quiet place in the field to move on peacefully when all you want is for someone to give the graceful creature the medical attention she so desperately needs. In a reserve, the rules is no interference, if simply for the fact that once you begin intruding how do you decide where to stop, what is the line you won’t cross.
The entire feature was shot in Kenya’s Masai Mara National Reserve, which borders the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. One of the best preserved savanna systems in the world, Masai Mara provided stunning backdrops and gorgeous vistas which are dropped in throughout the movie. Even with an abundance of animal life and fantastic scenery, it took the filmmakers two years and hundreds of hours of filming to craft the story of African Cats.
A little humor here, there were two scenes in the movie that, whether intentional or not, reminded me of counterparts in Walt Disney World. First, the ever-present Thomson’s Gazelles immediately made me shout out, “Tommies!” Secondly, a scene where the lions have hunted a zebra and are standing around the carcass was eerily reminiscent of the Jungle Cruise scene where the pack of lions take care to watch over the sleeping zebra.The bonus features of African Cats are, in a word, lackluster and, if given a second and third word, too brief. One focuses on the Save the Savanna initiative tied to the film’s theatrical and home theater releases. A second gives an introduction to the ties between Disney and the wild corners of the world. Lastly, there is the requisite music video, Jordan Sparks’ “The World I Knew” in this instance.
The true hidden gem of the film’s extras, however, comes in the form of the commentary viewing option. This presentation included pop-up informational tidbits, picture-in-picture interviews with the filmmakers, and breakaway featurettes which could be viewed or passed on by the viewer. These breakout videos include a wealth of information on the Masai Mara, slow motion filmmaking, aerial filming, cinematographers, elephants, flimmakers’ camp, vehicles, rain, filming with Cineflex camera, field assistants and tracking the animals, life in the field, and the musical score.
African Cats originally came with the subtitle, Kingdom of Courage, a title befitting the experience of the filmmakers capturing these tales on film and the cats struggling to raise their precious families. The ability to see and explore these wild arenas, where animal families interact in ways that are similar and strikingly different to our own family groups, is remarkable. African Cats will stun you with its beauty and stories that hit remarkably close to home. The filmmakers have done their job well, you will feel for the cheetahs and lions and, if we’re very lucky, this new True-Life Adventure is only just the tip of the iceberg that will renew our, and our children’s, interest in preserve the wild places left in the world.
It’s the Circle of Life. And it Moves Us All. Lion King Review and Giveaway
I think part of what makes Disney animated films so memorable is how they reach in to the core of life’s lessons and messages and give back, through songs, laughter and amazing visuals. The Lion King is no exception to this rule. I remember when it first came out back in 1994, I was finishing up college and I bought the soundtrack on cassette and listened to it in my car, in between Liz Phair and Julianna Hatfield. The songs were so moving and catchy that I had no embarrassment rolling up to class with “Hakuna Matata” blasting in my speakers. Trust me, I was cool*.
*not in any way 😉
Being a huge Howard Ashman/Alan Menken fan, I was one of those skeptical about this new collaboration between Tim Rice and Elton John. Just one listen to the soundtrack made me a believer, however. The “Circle of Life” is poetry and truth in song:
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There’s more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There’s far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round
It’s the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life
It’s hard to imagine the task of putting the very definition of life on the planet into song, but there it is. Add to that the beautiful landscapes, skies and animal interactions unfolding before us, and you have a recipe for yet another tear-inducing scene in a Disney film.
While my family had The Lion King on vhs, it had been quite some time, with my oldest cubs at 11 and 12 and nary a VCR in the house. When Disney sent me the new Diamond Edition Blu-ray+DVD combo pack, I was excited to share it with my littlest guy, almost 3. My oldest children and I had just seen The Lion King in 3-D and I was blown away by the animation yet again, and it was as if my kids were seeing it for the first time. I loved hearing them say “Oh yeah, I remember this song!” and of course, checking to see if I was crying at certain parts of the movie. (I did.)
Even I had forgotten the hysterical jokes and one-liners in this film. The Lion King is a classic which could have been released today just as well as nearly 20 years ago.”What’s a motto?” “Nothing, whats a motto with you?” never fails to make me giggle. The life-lessons of not running away from your past or your problems and rising to both a challenge and doing what’s right are still powerful today. The themes of the loss of a loved one may go over the heads of some little fans, but older kids and adults can see how those who have passed are always with us, no matter how far away they may seem.
The DVD bonus feature is a fun behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the film, hosted by Don Hahn, producer of The Lion King, many other Disney animation productions and the DisneyNature films, including the upcoming Chimpanzee, due out in 2012. The Blu-ray bonus features offer a look at deleted scenes, and songs, as well as “bloopers,” a gallery, sing-a-long and more. Check out this trailer below:
The Lion King Diamond Edition hits the savanna tomorrow- 10/4 and one lucky winner could win a Blu-ray+DVD Combo Pack here on Zannaland. Just enter below by commenting with your favorite memory of The Lion King – it could be a song, a character, a joke, whatever made you love the film. Contest ends October 7, winner randomly drawn and announced October 8. Good luck – it is time! Contest has ended.
Congrats to Adam Goldman for having comment #5 – he is the winner of the Lion King Blu-ray+DVD Combo pack! Thanks to everyone for sharing your wonderful Lion King memories, I really enjoyed reading them.
