Hey Duggee: The Wedding Badge and 10 other stories DVD (review + giveaway E: 10 July 2018)

If you are a parent of a preschooler or primary school child, you are surely familiar with Hey Duggee. This charming cartoon has become something of a world-wide phenomenon and has acquired a huge following.
It's based on a simplistic repetitive formula including five animal kids who go to a pre-school playgroup named The Squirrel Club. It is run by an oversized dog called Duggee. There is always a big group hug at the end of each episode.

The animation is stylised, bright and imaginative. And it's genuinely funny, you'll find yourself giggling and laughing aloud.

If you happened to watch TV in the early hours on the day of the Royal Wedding, you might have watched a different kind of wedding - King Tiger met his perfect partner and was getting married on May the 19th in a brand new episode called Hey Duggee: The Wedding Badge.
This event was anticipated almost as much as the Royal Wedding, and the bride's identity was kept secret until then.
As it happens, the bride is nothing like Meghan, she is a more traditionally built lady, with a dirty laugh and a huge appetite.

The squirrels play at the clubhouse, when the wedding invitation arrives for Duggee and his wards.
As the ceremony begins, the bride is nowhere to be seen. What's happened? Did she have second thoughts and ran away?
The squirrels go on a mission to find the bride and save the day.

There are some rather grown-up jokes popping in, with double entendre, for example, King Tiger is saying to his bride: "My darling, you look so fruity!"

The Wedding Badge is available from 9 July on a DVD.

The other episodes in the latest DVD include: The Voice Badge, The Island Badge, The Sleeping Badge, The Brave Banana Badge, The Water Badge, The Traffic Badge, The Dressing Up Badge, The Getting On Badge, The Grandparents Badge and The Organising Badge.
The full running time of the DVD is 70 minutes.
That's 70 minutes of jolliness and happiness.

If you like the sound of Hey Duggee: The Wedding Badge and 10 other stories, here is your chance to win one of 3 copies of  the DVD. Lovely people from CBeebies have offered 3 copies of the DVD as a giveaway prize for my blog readers.


To be in with a chance of winning, please enter via Rafflecopter form.

T&Cs:

T&C
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
Once the Rafflecopter picks the winners, I will contact them regarding address details, if they do not reply within 28 days, the prize will be allocated to another person.

It might be pretty obvious but under new GDPR regulations you must accept that if you win the giveaway, you agree to have your details shared with the brand PR who will dispatch the prize. No other data will be passed or shared. 

Please don't forget to leave a comment, as it is the only mandatory step, I will make sure the winners selected by Rafflecopter have complied with T&Cs.
The prize will be posted by BBC.
Giveaway ends on 10 July 2018 (midnight).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wonder Woman DVD

Image credits: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc

If you missed seeing Wonder Woman in the cinema earlier this year, now you have a chance to catch up on this year's most exhilarating blockbuster.
Wonder Woman arrives onto 4K UHD, Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD on 9 October and as Digital Download on 25 September. The 4K UHD, Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray will include an all-new bonus scenes never before seen in cinemas, as well as interviews with filmmakers, featurettes and extended scenes.

Image credits: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc

Gal Gadot is a convincing Diana, a woman-child who still believes in goodness of the humankind and doesn't understand the dirty politics and cynicism of people whom she tries to help by defeating Ares the god of war.
Diana, being brought up in a world void of male aggression, is naive but good-hearted. She is one of a few Marvel heroes who doesn't fight inner demons. She is compassionate, courageous and selfless.
You can see why this character has been hailed as a feminist icon. Though happy to work in a team, she doesn't rely on men to save the world.
This story has several strong female protagonists - Diana's mother and aunt are good role models for young Diana.
Her mythical island is a utopia, an ideal place for women. Links to Greek mythology are quite loose, the plot doesn't follow the original myths of Ancient Greece, more taking inspiration from them rather than being truthful to them.
It is an interesting interpretation of myths, with references to Amazons, Zeus and Ares.
The first part of the film reminded me of Xena the warrior princess which I used to watch twenty years ago (and I loved it too then).
Like Xena, Diana is athletic, strong and excels in martial arts.

When an American pilot crashes in the sea nearby the shores of the island of the Amazons, Diana's world becomes exposed to the perils of the modern world. Outside, the WWI is raging, and Diana leaves her island in order to end the war by finding and destroying Ares.

It's fascinating that one of the major villains in this story is another woman. Dr Poison is a lethal threat to the world. She is fragile physically, and facially disfigured (presumably some experiment has gone wrong), but she is pure evil.

And when the time comes to fight, Wonder Woman is the iconic figure we recognise from Marvel comics - she diverts the bullets with her famous bracelets.
You have to see it to appreciate the merits of the bulletproof outfit during the battle scenes.

I haven't been a big fan of Marvel characters and stories until my younger son got me hooked on them. We've watched together many films with superheroes, and we enjoyed Wonder Woman.

Image credits: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Inc

Disclosure: We received a copy of the DVD for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Our #BearHunt Twitter Party

If you were on Twitter yesterday, you might have seen a hashtag #BearHunt trending and wondering what it was all about. Perhaps you even joined in with the activities and competitions run by @UKMumsTV. Several bloggers were hosting We're Going on a Bear Hunt Twitter parties and tweeting-tweeting-tweeting.
With Twitter parties, it's all about the organisation and planning, everything has to be prepared in advance for it to go smoothly.
Eddie loves having his friends over, and if they have activities to do and a film to watch, he is very happy.
Days before the party we received a big box of party goodies with invitations, colouring sheets and pencils, tasty snacks, bear-ears making sheets, toys, books and DVDs.

"We're going on a bear hunt" by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury has delighted several generations of children and parents alike since 1989. Our old copy, from the days when my 14-year-old son was a toddler, is quite battered and has chewed corners.
I remember reading this story hundreds of times, when he was little and enjoyed the rhythm and repetition. He was delighted when I made all those Squelch squerch, Splash splosh sounds. We definitely knew the book off by heart.
The plot is quite simple:
Children are led on a challenging adventure by their big brother. They have to go through the high grass, a river, a thick oozy mud, dark forest, snowstorm until they reach a bear cave. The bear is startled to see them. Terrified, the kids flee back home, in reverse order, before finally hiding under the duvet in their big bed. They vow never to go on a bear hunt again. The poor bear who was woken up from hibernation in his cave, looks sad and desolate.
This children's classic appeared on the screens last Christmas as an enchanting animation (see my full review - We're Going on a Bear Hunt DVD review)

To celebrate the release of the DVD of We're going on a bear hunt, selected bloggers were invited to host a Twitter party.

We managed to pack in a lot of activities in those two hours of the party.
First, Eddie and his friends watched the film. I was a bit anxious about the story, as it has been changed from the original book, made darker and more poignant. But nobody was particularly distressed or affected by the sad parts. If anything, it was I who felt my eyes were brimming when the girl put her late Grandpa's scarf on the bear's neck. It made me think of my own Dad who died many years ago, and who never met his grandchildren. But I digress.

As soon as the film has finished, the quiz sheets were out. Eddie got all of his answers right except one, he forgot the name of the dog.

Decorate a Bear Hunt Biscuit activity was great fun. We had a packet of digestives, two bags of chocolate buttons and chocolate-flavoured icing pens.

Eddie always enjoys decorating cupcakes and biscuits, but doing bear biscuits proved to be quite a challenge. I also had to remind the guys that chocolate buttons were for decoration, as they kept sneakily eating them, one after another.

Eddie's bear was an Angry Birds hybrid, with bushy eyebrows, but he was proud of his creation.
I had a quick go too, though my bear wouldn't win me any prizes. Well, my excuse is I had to entertain and tweet at the same time.

Some of the icing ended up on the sleeves, but it didn't really matter. It was great fun.

Some of the biscuits were promptly eaten as soon as I have taken photos.

Bear Hunt Treasure Trail was another great activity. Who doesn't like the idea of looking for treasures - DVD, book, toys and sweeties.

By then I was a bit exhausted, running up and down the house, shouting Hot or Cold to give a hint how far they are from the next prize.

And then there was a turn of Pin the tail on the bear. We used scarves as blindfolds. The poster on the wall showed the bear from the animation. You had to stick a fluffy pom pom tail as close as possible to the bear's bum.

We were supposed to make our own Bear Hunt ears, but by that time our company was in such high spirits and way too giggly to do anything sensible, they were getting sillier and sillier, so the Bear Ears activity sheets went into the goodie bags to take home together with colouring sheets, pencils, toys and other gifts.
You know how it is with kids, sweets and fun games.
I was in need of a cup of tea (or perhaps something stronger) and some peace and quiet.

Our party was a big success, and Eddie can't wait for us to host a new Twitter party.

Disclosure: As mentioned in a pre-party post, we received a big box of party goodies. All opinions are our own.

We're going on a bear hunt (DVD review)

"We're going on a bear hunt... We're going to catch a big one..." Sounds familiar?!

"We're going on a bear hunt" by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury has delighted several generations of children and parents alike since 1989. Some of those babies who discovered this book back then in the late 80s-early 90s, read this catchy narrative to their own babies now.
I remember reading this story hundreds of times, when Sasha was little. I think it's the rhythm, rhyme and repetition that appeal to children. We definitely knew it off by heart.

Children are led on a challenging adventure by their big brother. They have to go through the high grass, a river, a thick oozy mud, dark forest, snowstorm until they reach a bear cave. The bear is startled to see them. Terrified, the kids flee back home, in reverse order, before finally hiding under the duvet in their big bed. They vow never to go on a bear hunt again. The poor bear who was woken up from hibernation in his cave, looks sad and desolate.

On the run to the last Christmas, I have bought a big issue of Radio Times and discovered that there would be a brand new animation based on the original story. How exciting!

We missed the screening of the animation, as we spent Christmas in Italy.
I remember coming home from Italy and reading many reviews of the animation, where people bemoaned the fact that the story was changed, that it has become very sinister and tragic, that this was not a Christmas TV material and so on.
So, it is with trepidation that I have put the DVD on.
Will I find it too unrecognisable from the original book? First of all, it takes maximum 10 minutes to read the book, even with all the sound effects, repetitions and pauses. The animation lasts about half an hour, so obviously there were a lot of things added to the story.

Starring Olivia Colman, Pam Ferris and Mark Williams, this animation is created by the team behind The Snowman and the Snowdog (one of our most favourite animation stories of the last decade). Hand-drawn animation is done in the classic traditions, without the modern high-tech visuals which many children's films use these days.

The story is darker indeed, with children missing their late grandpa. Their adventure is a symbol of "going through it", as in overcoming the grief.
One of the girls befriends the bear, which is also a new touch. She gives the bear her late Granddad's scarf and is reluctant to leave the bear behind.
The animation ends on a sad note, leaving you thinking about the bear, the children and life itself.

Have you seen this animation at Christmas? What did you think of it?

Disclosure: We received the DVD for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Pete's Dragon DVD

Image credits: Disney Pete's Dragon

In the last year or two Disney has been producing one remake after another of its own classics for children - think Cinderella, The Jungle Book, the soon coming The Beauty and the Beast.
The remake of Pete's Dragon came to the big screens last August. We missed seeing it in the cinema, and were eagerly anticipating its arrival as a DVD.
Pete's Dragon is now available on Blu-Ray, DVD and digital (from 5 December).

Image credit: Disney Pete's Dragon

We have never seen the original 1977 film, so didn't know what to expect story-wise.
The 2016 production brings certain connotations to quite a few well-known and much-loved child/alien-fantastic creature/animals bond films like ET, The Jungle Book and The Iron Giant. The scenes of dragon-riding also reminded me of The Never-ending Story.

It starts on a very sad note. A four-year-old boy Pete becomes orphaned, when the car he's travelling in with his parents, gets in a horrible accident. The boy is rescued and adopted by a giant fluffy green dragon. Pete (Oakes Fegley) names him Elliot, after the book character, and they live together in the woods for 6 years.
The dragon behaves like a big dog, it has  the dog's mannerisms and behaviour patterns. His ability to turn invisible amongst the deep forest, helps the boy and the dragon live in peace for six years, until the lumber industry arrives in the heart of the forest.
Pete is seen by a young girl called Natalie, and is "rescued" by a well-meaning bright-eyed and good-hearted ranger Grace (Bryce Dallas Howard who we last saw in the Jurassic World).
Pete is missing Elliot, the dragon is looking for him. Will they be reunited? Will Pete adjust to the world of the humans, or will he always hanker for what he has lost?

There are some very poignant moments, as when the dragon is captured by greed-propelled people who do not appreciate the beauty of nature. They want to conquer it, subjugate, exploit it for profit and eventually destroy it.

The dragon looks are not very convincing. Don't expect the realism of detail like in the Jurassic Park/World series. He is more like a giant soft toy. Saying that, my 6-year-old son loved the dragon.
Oakes Fegley as Pete has also won our hearts.

Robert Redford is very good as the patriarch of the family, old wood carver Mr Meacham who loves telling stories of meeting a dragon. Nobody believes him, of course, including his own daughter.

This is a kind film, which would capture hearts of the whole family. If you're looking for a film to watch together as a family during Christmas holidays, this might well be the film for you.



Bonus features:
Blu-Ray:
- Notes to Self: A Director's Diary - Director David Lowery narrates the personal diary he kept through the filming of Pete's Dragon in this intimate and fascinating look at the movie's making.
- Making magic - Discover fun facts about what went into designing this spectacular, lovable dragon.
- Disappearing Moments - The director shares a montage of the films "lost" scenes.
- Welcome to New Zealand - experience the wonders of New Zealand and learn why it's a magical place to visit ... and to make a movie.
- Audio Commentary - Gain an insider perspective from director David Lowery, co-writer Toby Halbrooks and actors Oakes Fegley and Oona Laurence.
- Music videos: "Nobody knows" by The Lumineers and "Something wild" by Lindsey Stirling featuring Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness.
- Bloopers

DVD:
- Making magic - Discover fun facts about what went into designing this spectacular, lovable dragon.

Digital:
same as Blu-Ray, exempt from Audio Commentary

Disclosure: We received the DVD for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Teletubbies: Tubby Snowball (review + competition E: 1 December 2016)

Teletubbies hit out screens back in 1997. By now many of those who watched the first series as young kids, have kids of their own. And it's not just the kids who adored this iconic show.
A friend of mine has recently confessed that she was 19 when Teletubbies made their grand entrance. She still keeps a soft Teletubby toy she bought then, and she used to buy Teletubbies magazines for the colourful stickers. She asked me not to laugh.
Our 14-year-old son used to watch Teletubbies with great enthusiasm when he was a tot. Our younger one was less keen to watch the cute multi-coloured creatures with big tummies and antennae on their heads. He is more of a Peppa Pig and Ben and Holly generation.
Since Teletubbies were relaunched in 2014, sixty new episodes were ordered.
A new generation of families can enjoy the iconic Teletubbies. The latest Teletubbies: Tubby Snowball DVD featuring six episodes was released on October 31.

The DVD includes bonus content - a Teletubbies Holiday Song We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Behind the scenes for grown ups featurette: Building the set.
Synopsis:
"It's a cold day in Teletubbyland and snow falls on the Teletubbies! Join Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po as they find big snowballs, dance with a snowman and watch children make a caterpillar out of snow"
Moving along with the times,Teletubbies can play with the Tubby Phone and have new Touch-screen tummies.
Six episodes included in the DVD are:
Snowball
Packing
Number Four
Flying
Taps
Party
Teletubbies: Tubby Snowball has a run time of approximately 1hr12 minutes.

This lovely DVD will make a lovely gift for a preschooler.

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To coincide with the release of the latest DVD, I have 3 prizes (one copy each) of Teletubbies: Tubby Snowball DVD for my blog readers.
This is a creative competition aimed at young children.

Terms and Conditions:

1. To be entered in the competition, please design/draw your own Teletubbies Snowball picture.
2. Post it on Twitter with your child's name (just first name), a hashtag #teletubbiessnowball tagging me @maximka25 or on Instagram tagging @realmaximka25 with the same hashtag
3. The winning entries will be chosen randomly from all entries.
4. Once you have entered, please leave a comment here to say that you have entered.
5. The competition is open to UK residents only.
6. Once the competition winners are contacted, you will have 28 days to get back to me with your address details.
7. The DVDs will be posted by the PR running the promotion.
8. The competitions ends on 1 December 2016 at midnight.
Good luck!


Disclosure: We received a copy of the DVD for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are our own.

Norm Of The North DVD giveaway (c/d 5 August 2016)

Win a copy of Norm of the North DVD

To celebrate the release of the family film of the year NORM OF THE NORTH, we are giving you a chance to win a copy of the DVD.

NORM OF THE NORTH follows the story of Norm, a special polar bear with the rare gift of being able to talk with the humans. Along with his trusty lemming sidekicks, Norm take a thrilling and hilarious journey to New York on a quest to save his beloved homeland from property developers.

Featuring a fantastic line up of stellar A-list voice talent including James Corden, Rob Schneider, Heather Graham and Bill Nighy, along with a host of unseen Arctic characters, Norm has become an instant favourite with families across the country.
Kids love him! So don't miss your chance to take home the one film to own this summer when Norm of the North becomes available on Digital Download from 11 July and to own on DVD and Blu-ray from 18 July.

To be in with a chance of winning, answer the following question:

What type of animals are Norm's sidekicks?
1) Cats
2) Lemmings
3) Anteaters




T&Cs:
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
If leaving a comment as Anon, make sure there is your name or username so that I can get in touch with you. If you have a Twitter name, that's the easiest way to contact you if you win.
I will contact the winner regarding address details after the closing date, if they do not reply within 28 days, the prize will be allocated to another person.

The giveaway will close on 5 August 2016 (at midnight)

Good luck!

Thank you to all the entrants!
And the winner chosen randomly is

GAMING CA

Big well done! Please get in touch with me regarding your address details. My email is sasha1703 at yahoo dot com, or contact me on Twitter @maximka25

Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Road Chip

- Eddie, not so loud please!
- But Mummy, I love the music!

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP IS OUT NOW ON DIGITAL HD,
BLU-RAY AND DVD

Our chipmunks' movies collection has just been expanded by the latest installment called Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Road Chip (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment).

The chipmunks are back with a vengeance. These mini pop-stars hit the road and make your head spin.
The blurb promises: "Alvin, Simon and Theodore race to Miami on a wild road trip, but their jaunt takes a nutty detour, leading to hilarious hijinks and music-packed adventures across the country".
The mischievous chipmunks whom my son calls cheek-munks are in trouble. Their father-figure Dave has got a new girlfriend Samantha. Not only that, Samantha has a teenager son Miles who hates the little rodents.
The trio suspect that the proposal is in the wings when they find an engagement ring packed in the bags for the trip. There is only one thing they could do - to ruin the matrimonial plans and save themselves from the unwelcome addition to the family.

What did we think about the film? Eddie loved it, but then again, he enjoyed all the previous chipmunks' adventures.

As for my opinion, let's just say, I have never been a fan of any of the Chipmunks films, I find the voices and songs very irritating. These silly little creatures grate on my nerves. Though I'm obviously not in the age group of those who appreciate the series.
While I find all the fart-poop jokes tedious and annoying, Eddie thinks they're ever so funny.

I cannot say that I watched the whole film with him, alas, it was too much for me to endure, but I was staying in the same room most of the time, glancing at the screen from time to time, and thinking to myself: just what the heck did I see and hear? It could be just me, but I don't find chipmunks' "sexy" comments about scantily clad girls appropriate for a children's film. I thought they were supposed to be kids, not diminutive sized adults with a one brain cell.

There are two discs in the set, including the Ultimate Playlist featuring the best songs from all the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies.
I haven't told Eddie that the second disc is all music (when he asked what was there, I said it's a documentary on how they made the film). Shall I come clean and let him enjoy the songs? Then I'll have to hide in the garden, away from the squeaky little terrors.

Do your kids love Alvin and the Chipmunks? Have you seen the Road Chip?

Alvin and the Chipmunks display in the local Sainsbury's

Oddball and the penguins DVD

Oddball & The Penguins is out now on DVD, On Demand and Digital HD

Eddie and I watched Oddball & The Penguins earlier today. Shot entirely on the magnificent Australian coast, this heartwarming story has been a big hit in the Australian box office.
The story starts with the wild antics of a dog called Oddball, who is a Maremma sheepdog. He is a bit of a dog ASBO, wrecking everything in his way. But the misbehaving dog is the least of the problems of his owner Swampy Marsh. He is a chicken farmer who also looks after the penguin sanctuary on the Middle Island, which lies just off the coast from the small town of Warrnarnbool.
The foxes have decimated the penguin population to such an extent that the sanctuary is under the threat of being closed down completely.
Swampy's daughter Emily is helping her father to run the sanctuary, but she's getting disillusioned. Only her daughter Olivia believes in her Grandpa's dream of restoring the sanctuary and keeping their family together.
Then Swampy rescues an injured penguin, and discovers that his crazy dog Oddball is very gentle with the penguin and guards him with a great dedication.
Swampy and Olivia come up with a plan of training Oddball as the sanctuary's guard.
What happens next will keep you rooting for Oddball and the penguins.
The small sized penguins are adorable. If anything, it's a total cuteness overload.
The human characters are less adorable. Olivia is chirpy and too self-assured. The town inhabitants are a bit one-dimensional. They are truly just a supporting cast for the dog and the penguins.
It is a likeable and sweet story which will appeal to the whole family.

Disclosure: We received a copy of the DVD for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are Eddie's and mine.

How Frozen saved my sanity at Christmas time

So she's a bit of a fixer-upper...

They say Don't build up high expectations for a perfect Christmas day, and I don't. In fact, I am hardly an optimist, I tend to expect the worst. And sometimes those expectations of the worst actually pale in comparison with the reality.
It so happened that back in summer my husband managed to convince me that we should spend Christmas with his parents in Italy. We booked the tickets way in advance, then had to change the return flights for a totally extortionate amount of money. We flew with BA, and incidentally, the food was quite atrocious. If you didn't fancy a chicken sandwich, there was absolutely nothing else. Good saving for BA, as from four of us, I was the only one to try the sandwich. And the coffee was like dishwasher dregs, vile. But that's just a minor irritant of the whole stressful week of the season to be jolly.
With Sasha's autism, everything has to be planned in advance. I took with us all his meds, and food too, like tuna pate and Warburton's sliced bread, because he wouldn't eat any of the wonderful Italian artisan breads and their sliced bread is not very good. We packed his favourite books and DVDs, snacks and of course his ipad. Travelling is always stressful for everyone, but when you have autism, it is treble-hard. Yet Sasha loves being on the plane. It's the airports and waiting that he finds the most difficult to cope with. The crowds and noise make him upset. But we managed relatively well for all these years to travel with him, and were hoping this time would be more or less the same.

I prepared myself mentally and psychologically to any possible eventuality. But the reality turned to be much worse than my expectations.
Sasha fared relatively well through the ordeal of the check-in and passport control, we have to hold his hand as he tries to escape. It's as if he has this strong urge to run somewhere, he knows not where himself. And being almost as tall as me and strong, it is not easy to keep him in one place. Later we had a semi-peaceful lunch at the Giraffe's at Terminal 5. Sasha watched the crowds from above, turning his back to us, and that was the symbol of the week to come.

He spent most of the time in Italy, hiding away, whenever we tried to be with him, he would withdraw into another room to escape our company.
I knew he wouldn't sit with us for Christmas lunch, and I found it very sad that on such a day my beloved boy didn't want to be with us. He was more content to spend the day in his room, with his ipad and tune pate sandwiches and biscuits.
Sasha was very moody and it didn't help that the Internet connection was very poor. Thanks Vodafone for the lousy service - 40 euros for a week of rubbishy connection.
He used to enjoy our walks around the town centre, visits to the book shop and cafes, but this time it felt like he wasn't happy anywhere we went, and this was so sad. I felt like I have failed my son completely by subjecting him to a trip he didn't want.
The whole week we were walking on the eggshells so as not to trigger any meltdown.
I was bracing myself for the flight back. We travelled to the airport in a taxi, and Sash was annoyed with the chatty driver and kept pushing me, as if it was my fault that the driver liked to talk.
We planned to get to the airport with just a spare hour before the flight so that we wouldn't have to spend any extra time there.
All the hell broke loose, once we reached the final boarding area. Sasha had a meltdown of Gargantuan proportions. He screamed, he cried, tears streaming down his red cheeks, he pushed us, trying to run somewhere. God, it was awful. People were staring, not without compassion but obviously dreading to have a neighbour like that on the flight. Two police women came up to us to ask what was going on. It was a grim moment indeed. We were so worried that we wouldn't be allowed on board with such a distressed child. We split the passports and boarding passes. Eddie and I went first, my husband stayed behind with Sasha to be the last ones to enter the airplane.
Thankfully, by the time they got in, Sasha calmed down. He was a total angel during the flight, and kept kissing my husband on the cheek, apologising in his silent way for the stress he caused.
I know he understands the limitations his condition brings along, but he cannot control his outbursts.

And it is with a sad heart that I decided that we won't be travelling together again. Ever. When Eddie is older, I will let him travel to Italy with his Dad to see his grandparents but Sasha and I will stay at home.

During our week of "Italian holidays", when I could hardly relax for a minute, it is small things in life that kept me sane, like a quick cup of latte in the local cafe, beautiful streets of the old Renaissance town decked in garlands of twinkling lights and Frozen.

I resisted buying a Frozen DVD for a long time, thinking that with two boys I wouldn't need it and that it was only a girlie stuff. Yet Eddie kept mentioning it, as his mates kept having Frozen-themed birthday parties. I bought the DVD, and squirreled it in the suitcase to give to Eddie as a Christmas gift. We watched it first after a Christmas lunch (which left me quite sad, since my older son didn't want to do anything with it). We watched it probably twice a day every day while staying in Italy. By now I know most of the lyrics by heart, and Eddie and I keep singing bits and pieces aloud. I swear its gentle humour saved my sanity in those days, when I was often on the verge of tears.

If only there were trolls who would have fixed our frustrations and angst, and made my boy happier.

Alpha and Omega 3: The Great Wolf Games DVD

When the weather is far from perfect, and we cannot go for long walks or play and dig in the garden, we enjoy watching movies together. If you've watched Alpha and Omega 1&2, you might be pleased to know that the third episode - Alpha & Omega 3: The Great Wolf games - is out on DVD on 14 April, just in time for Easter. It comes with a cheerful promise of the "biggest adventure is yet to come".

The official blurb informs us:
"Join the pack in this wild, warm-hearted and totally pawsome adventure starring everyone’s favourite alphas and omegas! It’s time for “The Great Wolf Games,” when all the alphas in the packs set aside their differences for some friendly competition. When an unexpected accident puts many of the star alpha wolves out of commission, a new team is assembled that includes forest friends not in the pack. Can Coach Humphrey lead his ragtag group of “underdogs” to victory? Find out in this thrilling movie that will leave you howling for more!"

Eddie and I cuddled on the sofa together, with some Dairylea Dunkers and Hula Hoops, and giggled at the antics of three wolves: Stinky, Claudette and Runt who have found the most unusual team mates. The little bear with the bird issues and the bossy little porcupine join the team. Who will run the fastest? Will they win? Well. you'll have to watch to find out.

This animation will most likely appeal to pre-schoolers and primary school kids (as well as their parents). It is amusing and entertaining, and also teaches the youngsters about fair play and teamwork, and even gender discrimination in sport (I was definitely rooting for Claudette).
It is 43 minutes long, which is just about right for the younger audience with the short attention span.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of the DVD for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are Eddie's and mine.

SeaFood Blu-ray (Lionsgate)

"Mama, it's so beautiful!" (Eddie)

As my kids are big fans of "fishy" animation (Finding Nemo, Shark Tale etc), I was curious to see how SeaFood (Lionsgate UK) compares in the oceania adventures department. We missed SeaFood when it came out on DVD last year, but on the 3rd of February 2014 Lionsgate UK releases SeaFood ( as well as Daddy, I'm a Zombie which I reviewed a while ago) on Blu-ray.

SeaFood starts with a dramatic chase, which we later learn is only a pretend game between two friends. Later Pup the bamboo shark, who is the smaller of two friends, witnesses the cruel human divers stealing a whole lot of shark egg sacks from his reef.
He goes on a mission to rescue his family. To do that he must venture on the dry land.
His friend Julius is afraid for Pup's safety and goes in search of him with the help of a scientist octopus Octo who builds a mechanical suit for Julius.
This film has been produced with the financial support of Ministry of Science,Technology and Innovation (Malaysia) and addresses some serious issues like the pollution of the ocean and consumption of the sharks.
The scene where the sea turtle Myrtle is being suffocated by the plastic bag is harrowing. The pollution breeds the aggressive and sinister sea bottom dwellers.
The main message is that it's the human beings who are the main predators. Sharks are actually good guys in this film.
My younger son was a bit worried, seeing the evil creatures, and while safely sitting on my lap, kept commenting "This is not a very good movie, Mama, shall we switch it off?". I know this means he was a bit scared but didn't want to admit it.
We watched it together, and cheered Julius escaping from the cruel chef who tried to capture the shark for its fins. We both screamed "Faster, Julius, faster!" and were biting our knuckles during the chase, will they reach the ocean safely?!

It never stops to amaze me what kids find strange or believable in animation. Eddie wasn't surprised that the sharks and other sea creatures talk, but when he watched the scene where the woman driver with her daughter were waiting for the traffic lights to change, he commented: "Mama, why is the girl not buckled in?"

Image credits: Lionsgate

It might be a bit predictable but if the weather is grey and miserable, you could still have a fun afternoon, watching a film together as a family and having sweet'n'salty popcorn. We loved cute little Pup and his true friend Julius, and enjoyed the fabulous fighting chickens.

Disclosure: I received SeaFood Blu-Ray for the purposes of reviewing. All opinions are mine.

Alpha & Omega 2: a Howl-iday adventure DVD

Are you a kid at heart who feels like there's nothing better than snuggling up with your kids and watching a new animation? Then you'll be glad to know there's a new animation from Lionsgate: Alpha & Omega 2: a Howl-iday Adventure.

This film is 45 minutes long, which is great for the younger audience whose attention span is quite short.

Synopsis:

ALPHA & OMEGA 2: A HOWL-IDAY ADVENTURE

Kate and Humphrey and their three wolf cubs (Smokey, Claudette and Runt) are happily preparing to celebrate their first Christmas together when their smallest cub, Runt, mysteriously disappears. They must now go on a journey across the wilderness to find and bring back Runt before the winter festivities begin at home. It’s their greatest adventure yet, filled with action and suspense as well as plenty of the humour and heart-warming moments that all the family will enjoy.

The characters are very cute. The smallest cub is absolutely adorable.

Yes, the plot is quite predictable, and the dialogue is a bit banal, so it wouldn't be winning any Oscars any time soon, but the younger audience might be more forgiving. I haven't seen the original, so cannot make comparisons.

My little man enjoyed the film, and as he is the target audience and not me, I believe it would find its fans among the preschoolers and primary school children.
And who knows, if I watched it on a Christmas day after a tipple or two, I might have been less critical.

Alpha & Omega is also available as a double pack. Both DVDs would make a nice little Christmas stocking filler.

ALPHA & OMEGA DOUBLE PACK

Both chapters of the fun filled animated adventure are released in one set. In the first part of this new double pack two young wolves at opposite ends of their pack’s social order are thrown together into a foreign land and need each other to return home, but their unexpected romance complicates everything. In the second part of the adventure the couple must travel across the wilderness in order to bring home their youngest cub in time for Christmas.

ALPHA AND OMEGA 2: A HOWL-IDAY ADVENTURE & ALPHA AND OMEGA: DOUBLE PACK ARE RELEASED ON BLU-RAY AND DVD ON 4thNOVEMBER 2013

Hummingbird DVD (review and giveaway NOW CLOSED)

Are you a fan of deftly twisting action movies? I am more of a Downton Abbey girl, but sometimes enjoy gritty dramas and thrillers. Hummingbird which is avaiable on DVD and Blu-ray from 21 October 2013 starts rather slowly.
Joey Jones (Jason Statham), an ex-serviceman, is on the run from a court martial. He is what could be decsribed as damaged goods, a tramp sleeping in the box, drinking himself into the oblivion. When he and his girlfriend Isabel are attacked by the local thugs, he manages to escape and literally falls into an empty apartment whose owner is away in the States for several months. Rather conveniently (and that I found a bit implausible) there is a credit card and a pin number in the mail, the car keys and the whole lot of trendy suits. But once you decide to swallow this slightly unlikely scenario, it gets interesting.

This film marks the directorial debut of the screenwriter Steven Knight who is famous for Eastern Promises (in fact that alone sold the film to me, as Eastern Promises was a truly engrossing thriller).
Joey assumes the identity of the conveniently absent owner of the apartment and attempts to reinvent himself. He is empolyed by the Chinese mafia and excels in his job.
Along the way he is trying to find out what happened to his girlfriend Isabel. A Polish nun Christina helps him with the information. Joey is bent on revenge when he learns of the brutal death of Isabel.
The strong points of this film are the honest scenes of the London criminal underground (there are some very memorable and heartbreaking scenes of the human trafficking).
Angels have their dark secrets, and baddies are capable of doing good deeds. The films uses a variety of forays in the past, exploring the hidden memories, both of Joey and Christina.
While Statham is pretty convincing as a thug and vigilante, Agata Buzek's nun is less so. Her face hardly shows a change of emotions. And though Joey and Christina's relationship is touching, it is not a very cogent storyline. Joey's sexual identity is also under a big question mark, it's not very clear whether he is gay or only pretends to be in order to deceive the prying neighbours.
This film is not flawless, but the narrative is gripping, and only the stone-hearted won't sympathize with the main protagonist. Will the twilight criminal world destroy Joey completely or will he be able to escape?

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If you think you might enjoy this film, Lionsgate has kindly offered 3 copies of Hummingbird DVD for my blog readers.


If you would like to win this prize, please fill in the Rafflecopter form.
T&Cs:
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All the other steps are optional, you don't have to do them all. All it takes to win is just one entry.
Only one entry per person is allowed (however, you can tweet daily to increase your chances).
The giveaway is open to the UK residents only.
Once the Rafflcopter picks the winner, I will check if the winner has done what was requested. I will contact the winner, if they do not reply within a week, the prize will be allocated to another person.

If you haven't used the Rafflecopter before, you might want to watch this simple video.
The giveaway will close on 17 November 2013 at midnight (the night from the 16th to the 17th)

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Many thanks to everyone who entered this giveaway! I enjoyed reading your DVD choices and recommendations!
The Rafflecopter picked the winners, big well done to Rob, Tracy and Lowri! I have just emailed you all, asking for your address details.

Snowflake the White Gorilla DVD (review)

Last Sunday Eddie and I sat comfortably to watch Snowflake the White Gorilla DVD. Sasha was busy with his ipad, but he was nearby and kept glancing at the screen. This family film has just been released on DVD and Blu-Ray on 7 October 2013.

What's the plot?
An albino baby gorilla comes to live with the human family and befriends Wendy, a vivacious girl, before being sent to reside in Barcelona Zoo. Wendy names the baby gorilla Snowflake. The other gorillas won't accept her in their tribe because she is different. Incidentally this rejection has been imposed by the pater familias of the gorillas' family. Doesn't it reflect the real life, when children copy their parents' behaviour and nasty ways?!
Snowflake becomes a major tourist attraction at the Zoo.
And she plots to escape from the Zoo together with her friend, red panda Ailur who considers itself to be a reincarnation of a Buddhist black panther. They approach a powerful witch and ask her to make Snowflake's fur go black.
Will the witch help Snowflake? Will she be able to turn her "normal"? You'll have to watch the film to find out.

As often happens in children's animation/feature films there is a villain who wants to capture Snowflake. He believes her white fur would be a powerful amulet against the bad luck. He is a masculine version of Cruella De Vil.
What did we think of the film?
First of all, I expected it to be pure animation from the cover image. But this is a film with real/live actors. The animals are the product of animation.
The voice cast includes David Spade (Grown Ups), Christopher Lloyd (Back to the future) and Janette McCurdy (Malcolm in the middle). (I must confess, I only ever watched Back to the future, so don't quite know who two of the actors are).
This film is targeting a family audience but I found that at 3 years old, Eddie's attention was wandering. He enjoyed the animation scenes and got easily bored with the live actors, so at some points I had to fast-forward it. It is also probably a bit too childish for teenagers. So, in my estimation it is for ages 3+-12 and the benevolent parents who enjoy watching family films.
The plot is entertaining enough, and the message that we should appreciate that we are all different is a good one.
As I was searching for white gorillas online, I found out that the film is based on the real life story of the albino gorilla Snowflake who lived in Barcelona Zoo for almost 40 years and became the emblem of the city.

If you want to read more reviews of Snowflake, read Madhouse Family Reviews.

Leapfrog Numbers: Learn Numbers and Shapes DVD

Eddie is pretty good at counting, even if he gets over-enthusiastic occasionally and keeps counting fingers up to 11. The latest release from the popular children's learning series Leapfrog called Leapfrog Numbers: Learn Numbers and Shapes encourages kids to learn their numbers, counting and shapes.

This DVD comes as a bumper pack of 3 episodes. The cartoon is a loosely-based story of adventure, the main purpose of which is to learn to count and recognise numbers and shapes.
Eddie enjoyed watching it and counting with Tad and Lily.

You meet little buddies Lily, Tad and Scout, and follow them on an undersea adventure in Numbers Ahoy.
"Tad and Lily need a little number sense to help them get through a complicated game. So their magical firefly friend, Edison, takes them on a fantastical journey under the sea! When a pirate mistakenly captures their cute puppy pal Scout, they must use their new understanding of counting, grouping and estimating to rescue him. Join them as they navigate the deep and face foes such as sharks, crab henchmen—even Pirate Pythagoras himself—and begin to see numbers in a whole new way!"

In Numberland Axle the magical car takes Scout and his buddies to Numberland "where the pets (thanks to the help of Max, a new friend) meet some very helpful numbers, and learn basic arithmetic along the way. In the meantime, the residents of Numberland team up to give Max a surprise birthday party"

Adventures in Shapesville Park is designed for preschoolers learning about shapes, measurements and dimensions while helping to complete the construction of a new playground.

Personally I found the music a "tad" annoying (it's not just the DVD, we have one of the Leapfrog books with Tad singing about animals, and more than once I felt like throwing it away, as I cannot stand the jolly music). Eddie didn't mind, if anything, he was quite happy to listen to the songs, and as he is the target audience for this DVD, it works (and if you are a long-suffering parent, buy the ear plugs).
As you can see from the photo, he loved counting the undersea creatures.

This DVD introduces the concept of number 0 as well, and tots learn some beginner math skills, for example, how to do an estimate.
It will work well as an educational tool. It is interactive, and I would advise watching it together with your child so that you can ask him questions along the way. But I can consume it only in small portions.

Released on DVD on 17 June 2013.