Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph Ultimate Collector’s Edition Blu-ray Set Available Today-Giveaway

Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph is finally available today on Blu-ray and DVD and my boys couldn’t be happier! In fact, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the chance to check out this movie for myself after hearing it being heralded as one of the most original and entertaining movies in years. Here’s a brief synopsis:

wreck-it ralph blu-ray march 5 2013For decades, Ralph has played the bad guy in his popular video game. In a bold move, he embarks on an action-packed adventure and sets out to prove to everyone that he is a true hero with a big heart. As he explores exciting new worlds, he teams up with some unlikely new friends including feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz. Then, when an evil enemy threatens their world, Ralph realizes he holds the fate of the entire arcade in his massive hands.

It was obvious even from the previews that this would be a movie more for school-aged children but Benjamin is pretty good about sitting down and watching movies with Zackary and me even when they’re a bit over his head. And after the first fifteen minutes, it was obvious that Zackary and I were both going to be big fans of this movie. With tons of references to video games that we all love, it was the perfect choice for a game-loving family. [Read more...]

Adventure is Just Around The Corner with Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files on DVD+Digital Copy

Now that Zackary is a little older, he has become a fan of some shows that I actually enjoy too. It’s so nice to say goodbye to repetitive preschool cartoons and watch something that I find genuinely funny and our favourite show to watch together as a family is Phineas and Ferb. So when I got the chance to review the newest DVD release of the show, Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files, I couldn’t wait to enjoy a little family time. Here’s a brief synopsis:

Phineas and Ferb the Perry Files box artJoin Perry the Platypus – a.k.a. Agent P. – on his most exciting adventures as he thwarts his nemesis, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, at every turn. With groovy gadgets, mad skills and his trademark brown fedora, this semi-aquatic, egg-layin’ mammal of action is unstoppable! Experience the hilarious havoc as he defends the Tristate Area against Doof’s “inators,” battles rogue agent “Dennis the Bunny,” and much more. When it comes to secret agents, Perry’s not only the real deal, he’s real teal!

This fun-filled video contains fourteen different episodes featuring the unstoppable Agent P. My personal favourite was Escape from Phineas Tower because while there is a great story about Agent P.’s adventures in the episode, watching Phineas and Ferb escape from their bad-tempered tower was even more enjoyable. But all the episodes featured the appealing combination of spy antics, zany inventions and, of course, busting attempts from the ever-determined Candace that my family has come to love. [Read more...]

Get Ready for Fun with Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files on DVD + Digital Copy-Giveaway

Last year my boys and I discovered Phineas and Ferb for the first time when we reviewed Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Across the 2nd Dimension. Zackary was just reaching the age at which he was starting to transition from simple preschool entertainment to the more complex humour of school-age cartoons. Phineas and Ferb was his first real experience with that older humour and he absolutely loved it. And I have to admit, I found the show pretty hysterical too!

Phineas and Ferb the Perry Files box artSo we were both excited to learn about Phineas and Ferb: The Perry Files being released in a special DVD + Digital Copy on June 5, 2012. Here’s a brief synopsis of the film: [Read more...]

Disney Treasure Buddies Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack-Giveaway

If you have younger children and haven’t heard of the Disney Buddies, five adorable puppies with a love of adventure and a talent for trouble, you and your kids are missing out! The Buddies have starred in six slightly cheesy, feel-good movies so far and their newest full-length feature Treasure Buddies looks like a perfect choice for plenty of family fun. Here’s a brief synopsis:

disney treasure buddies box artDisney’s talking canine superstars are back in “Treasure Buddies,” their 6th all-new adventure. This latest story is told from the perspective of the Buddies’ newest friend, a mischievous Egyptian monkey named Babi. As Babi tells us, more than 40 years ago a young archaeologist named Thomas Howard, travelled to Egypt with his dog Digger to search for the lost necklace of Cleocatra. They managed to discover half of an artefact, the Bronze of Bastet, but their find triggered a booby-trapped cave-in, which they barely escaped. Forty years later, Thomas is living in Fernfield where he manages a museum. Digger’s grandpups, Rosebud, B-Dawg, Budderball, Buddha and Mudbud also live in Fernfield and, in fact, Mudbud belongs to Thomas’ grandson, Pete.

Thomas is about to close his museum due to lack of funding when he gets a visit from a mysterious stranger, Dr. Philip Wellington, who reveals the other half of the Bronze of Bastet and invites Thomas and Pete to accompany him back to Egypt to resume the quest for the legendary Cat’s Eye Jewel. Pete offers to bring Mudbud along but Wellington refuses as he travels with Ubasti, a hairless cat who is allergic to dogs. When Mudbud learns that Ubasti plans to steal the necklace for herself and use its power to dominate both dogs and humans, he rallies the other Buddies to stow away on the private plane in order to overtake the expedition and thwart Ubasti’s plan.

Once they get to Egypt, danger lurks around every secret sphinx, cryptic crypt and puzzling pyramid. With help from lovable new friends including Cammy, a baby camel and the clever Babi, the Buddies avoid booby traps, solve puzzles and explore a mysterious tomb in their most exciting and challenging adventure yet.

With action, adventure and, of course, puppies, this movie looks like a great pick for a fun-filled movie night when you want something that is filled with adventure and excitement without being too scary. While you’re waiting for the release, why not entertain the kids with a fun Treasure Buddies maze! And if you just can’t wait to check this movie out for yourself, you’re in luck! Disney Canada is very generously offering Mommy Kat and Kids readers the chance to win one of three Treasure Buddies Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packs! So grab the kids, make a bowl of popcorn and get ready for a movie filled with fun in the sun courtesy of the Disney Buddies!

Buy It: Disney Treasure Buddies will be released on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack on January 31, 2012, so check your local DVD retailer or pre-order online now

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Disney Pixar Cars 2 on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack-Review and Giveaway

For any mom of a young boy, the release of Cars 2 on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack was no doubt a very big deal and our household was no exception. My five-year-old son has been a fan of anything with a motor almost since the day he was born and though he has outgrown the original Cars movie a little, that didn’t prevent him from wriggling in excitement every time he saw a preview of Cars 2! Here’s a brief synopsis of the movie:

Cars-2-Blu-ray-DVD-Combo-Pack

Star racecar Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places in ‘Cars 2′ when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colourful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

I had heard that this movie was more suited to older children, and after watching it for myself I am inclined to agree. In fact, I found it to be a very entertaining movie even for an adult! The secret agent theme that was featured in Cars 2 provided lots of opportunities for fun gadget scenes, clever plays on words and other concepts that were geared more towards older children. I definitely wouldn’t see a preschool child understanding much of the plot of the movie and there is some name-calling that parents might not want younger children exposed to.

At five, however, Zackary was a great age for this movie. I don’t think that every five-year-old would necessarily enjoy it as much as he did, but with his love of racecars, he had a wonderful time watching Cars 2. He also enjoyed a lot of the physical humour in the movie as well as the comical interplay between Lightning McQueen and the Italian racecar Francesco Bernoulli. And even during the parts of the film that went over his head a bit, the fast-paced action of the film kept him entertained. My husband and I both thoroughly enjoyed the plot of the movie and I was so glad that Zackary had enjoyed it as much as we had; it will certainly become one of our favourite choices for family movie night!

I was happy to see Mater step up and play a major role in Cars 2 too! He is very much the main character of the movie and it is nice to see more of his personality in this film. While he does, of course, provide plenty of comic relief, he also provides kids with valuable lessons about standing by your friends and believing in yourself. If you have school-aged boys in your house, Cars 2 is a great choice for a fun movie that you can enjoy with them. Cars 2 is available now on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack, so check your local DVD retailer or shop online now. You and your kids will have a blast racing around the world with Lightning McQueen and Mater!

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Disney Spooky Buddies Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack-Review and Giveaway

If you have younger children, you may already be familiar with the Disney Buddies, five adorable puppies that have a knack for getting into trouble and for solving problems. Rosebud, Budderball, Buddah, B-Dawg and Mudbud have starred in five fabulous Disney movies and on September 20, 2011, their newest movie Spooky Buddies was released on Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack. Here’s a brief synopsis:

disney spooky buddies box artIt’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.

Overflowing with action, humour and a bag full of bonus features, Spooky Buddies is a spooktacular adventure that treats you to a celebration of friendship and teamwork your whole family will enjoy.

I sat down to watch this movie with my youngest son while his big brother was at school. Benjamin, at only two, doesn’t really have the ability to sit through a movie quite yet, but he was so enraptured by the adorable puppies pictured on the case that he insisted on watching the movie the second I unwrapped it!

These movies are made with younger viewers in mind, which meant that even though the plot of the movie sounded a little scary, there were no really frightening scenes in the show. There was also plenty of the silly physical comedy that younger children love so much, and when I put the movie on for my oldest son Zackary to watch the next day, he laughed uncontrollably at the evil Warlock’s bumbling attempts to reclaim his staff.

While there are moments in this movie that are fairly cheesy, it’s always such good-hearted cheesiness that I couldn’t help but enjoy it. After all, who could resist a movie starring five puppies dressed up in Halloween costumes and a friendly puppy ghost? And the plot is actually quite engaging with lots of fun twists and surprises that will keep adults and older children interested.

If you’re looking for some extra Spooky Buddies fun this Halloween season, why not sit down with your child and enjoy a fun themed activity? Click here to download and print a page of Spooky Buddies Halloween cards for your child’s friends or click here to print off a fun Spooky Buddies activity sheet!

If you have younger children and you’re looking for a movie that will let them enjoy the fun of Halloween in a non-frightening way, Spooky Buddies is a great choice for you. It’s the perfect fun family movie that will have your children eagerly looking forward to trick-or-treating and clever costumes. Check it out for yourself and see what kind of adventures five costumed puppies and a helpful ghost encounter!

Buy It: To purchase Spooky Buddies, check your local DVD retailer or shop online now

Win It: Three lucky readers are going to win their very own Spooky Buddies Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack from Disney

To Enter (mandatory)
: Visit the Disney Buddies website and leave a blog comment about which puppy is your (or your child’s) favourite, then let me know you did using the Rafflecopter form below

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