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Wild Kratts Unleashes First-Ever Toy Collection at Toys”R”Us!

August 25, 2014 By 11 Comments

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Kids from coast-to-coast will go wild for the premiere collection of Wild Kratts toys! Now available at Toys“R”Us stores nationwide and on toysrus.com, the extensive new range from Wicked Cool Toys – featuring collectable action figures, talking plush, power suits and more – brings home all the action-packed fun of the hit animated Wild Kratts TV show on PBS KIDS, so kids everywhere can “star” in their own animal-powered adventures – just like series’ stars Chris and Martin Kratt!

 

“We’re so excited to introduce our very first collection of Wild Kratts toys and inspire fans to  embark on their own imaginative wildlife adventures,” said Chris Kratt,  creator, producer and co-star of the series and co-founder of the Kratt Brothers Company. “The new offerings encourage kids to discover the unique ‘creature powers’ of some of the world’s most amazing animals, as they have tons of fun.”

 

The must-have new assortment of Wild Kratts toys includes:

  • Wild Kratts Creature Power Suit Set Assortment (SRP $19.99) – Fans can become part of the Wild Kratts team with their very own Creature Power Suit!  Available in either blue or green, each set includes a special vest and pair of gloves to ‘outfit’ kids for endless role-play fun to experience real or imaginary ‘creature adventures’ and learn about interesting animals. Collectible creature power discs, which come with a variety of new Wild Kratts products, can be inserted into the center of the vest to ‘Activate Creature Power’ play!

 

  • Wild Kratts Talking Plush Assortment (SRP $17.99 each) – Kids can take Chris and Martin on virtually any animal adventure that they can dream up with these talking Kratt brothers plush, featuring Chris’ and Martin’s signature phrases from the show!

 

  • Wild Kratts 2PK Figure Set Assortment (SRP $5.99 each) – Kids can act out some of their favorite Wild Kratts adventures with these 3” Creature Power Suit figures, each accompanied by its own power animal and creature power disc!

 

  • Wild Kratts 4PK Figure Set Assortment (SRP $9.99 each) – Chris, Martin and their animal friends are ready for action in these jam-packed sets, each containing a 3” Kratt brother figure in full creature power suit, 3 animal figures, and 4 collectible creature power discs.

 

  • Wild Kratts Wildlife Plush Assortment (SRP $7.99 each) – These soft and cuddly 6” plush animals let kids bring the wildlife adventures home like never before. They can choose from Wild Kratts animal friends Grabsy, Hipster, Koala-Balloon, Little Howler, Spot-Swat, and Shadow – or collect them all!

 

  • Wild Kratts Createrra Set Assortment (SRP $12.99) – Modeled after the Kratts’ own Createrra jeep from the show, each freewheeling vehicle features real working doors and comes complete with a 3” articulated Kratt brother figure ready to hop aboard for animal-centered exploration!

 

  • Wild Kratts Creaturepod Projector Set Assortment (SRP $7.99) – Featuring 20 different images, kids can create endless wildlife adventures with this new “Creaturepod” projector set. The set – available in two varieties, green for Chris and blue for Martin – comes equipped with an adjustable black Velcro wrist strap, so young explorers can bring the adventures along with them – anywhere they roam!

 

In addition to the toys, a new Wild Kratts book, “Wild Sea Creatures: Sharks, Whales and Dolphins!” (SRP $3.99) is now available for even more animal-centered adventures! The release is the first installment in the new Wild Kratts book series from Random House Kids, which follows Chris and Martin as they travel to animal habitats all around the globe! Young readers ages 4-6 can “dive in” to the Step 2 Reader, featuring basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, and join the Kratt brothers as they activate their Creature Power Suits to swim with sharks, whales, and other fascinating creatures of the sea!

 

The popular live-action and animated Wild Kratts TV series, produced by Kratt Brothers Company and 9 Story Entertainment, is seen daily on PBS KIDS (check local listings). Each half-hour episode follows the animated version of the brothers and their friends on hilarious expeditions with wild animals from around the world, complete with animal-inspired gadgets and awesome Creature Power Suits that enable the adventurers to get close to the creatures. Every episode explores an age-appropriate science concept central to an animal’s life and showcases a spectacular wildlife moment, presented with engaging stories of mystery and rescue as well as the Kratt brothers’ signature brand of laugh-out-loud comedy. The real-life Chris and Martin introduce each Wild Kratts episode with a live-action segment that imagines what it would be like to experience a never-before-seen wildlife occurrence, and asks, “What if…?” to set the story in motion.

 

About Wicked Cool Toys

With offices in Philadelphia, PA, Santa Monica, CA, and Hong Kong, WickedCool, LLC has a diverse portfolio of playthings for all ages. Headed by veteran toy executives Michael Rinzler, Jeremy Padawer and Thomas Poon, Wicked Cool works with some of the world’s leading brands, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, Disney®, Marvel®, DC Comics®, Scanimalz™, WWE™, The Wiggles®, Wild Kratts®, and Monster Jam® as well as several home grown brands, including My Girl’s Dollhouse™, Crashlings™, and GoodToy™. Follow the Company on both Facebook and Twitter.

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About 9 Story Entertainment

9 Story Entertainment is one of the industry’s leading creators, producers and distributors of award-winning animated and live-action content for young audiences around the world.  With one of North America’s largest animation studios based in Toronto, 9 Story has over 220 creative and production staff, and has produced over 900 half hours of quality children’s and family programming, seen on some of the most respected children’s channels around the world across multiple platforms.  The company’s distribution arm represents a growing catalogue which includes several beloved brands such as Arthur, Wibbly Pig, Harriet the Spy: Blog Wars, Wild Kratts and Almost Naked Animals in addition to exciting new series such as Numb Chucks, Camp Lakebottom, Cache Craze, Daniel Tiger’s Neighbourhood and Nerds and Monsters. Last year the company acquired CCI Kids, the family content division of CCI Entertainment, increasing 9 Story’s portfolio to over 1600 half hours of content with popular shows such as Guess How Much I Love You, Joe & Jack, Artzooka! and Extreme Babysitting.

 

About The Kratt Brothers Company

Kratt Brothers Company is an award-winning entertainment company focusing on television and interactive digital media production, distribution, and brand management.  Headed by industry veterans Martin Kratt and Chris Kratt and with offices in the US and Canada, the Kratt Brothers Company operates a full-service live action and animation studio where creativity brings its global properties to life.  Having created, developed, and produced over 250 episodes of popular children’s programming, including Kratts’ Creatures, Be The Creature, and Emmy-winning Zoboomafoo, the company’s production and licensing teams continue in this tradition of quality with the new smash hit series, Wild Kratts.

We have teamed up for a fun Giveaway!  One winner will win a great prize package which will include the following:  one Wild Kratts 4PK Figure Set Assortment, one Wild Kratts Wildlife Plush and the Wild Kratts book, “Wild Sea Creatures: Sharks, Whales and Dolphins!” To enter leave a comment below telling us a tip to get your kids outdoors or tell us your favorite tip that is listed above! Deadline to enter is September 1st at 12 noon PST. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries.

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received to post except for the giveaway package for one of our readers. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

VIDAL SASSOON PRO SERIES

August 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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To celebrate Vidal Sassoon’s legacy and his influence on how women wear and care for their hair today, P&G Beauty & Grooming is making salon genius available to all with the Vidal Sassoon Pro Series color, care and styling line. Perfected by experts, the collections offer quality products for creating effortlessly beautiful, real life styles at home.
Vidal Sassoon Pro Series London Luxe Collection delivers six edgy and brilliant fashion shades that illuminate hair from the inside out. These permanent at-home color kits provide vibrant, bold hair color for up to 8 weeks. Each radiant shade is inspired by London’s runway fashion, street style and high-end salons to provide cutting edge color. This fashion-forward line provides attainable, bold color and coverage due to the formula’s remarkable color distribution as well as access to unique shades that until now have been predominantly available in salons.

I haven’t been bold enough to try this one out yet but am thinking maybe in the Fall. I love all the different shades!

Available in 6 bold fashion shades:
Reds: Merlot Vibrant Red, Runway Red, Carnaby Copper Red
Purples: Deep Velvet Violet, London Lilac
Blue: Midnight Muse Blue

NEW Vidal Sassoon Pro Series London Luxe Collection is available at mass retailers for suggested retail price of $8.99.*
*Actual prices are at the discretion of the retailer. For more information visit www.vidalsassoon.com

Self Disclosure: No compensation was received. A free product was received to facilitate this feature. Photo Credit: Vidal Sassoon.

 

Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion, Beauty and Fashion Corner

Updated Look, Feel And Name Coming To The Shops At Mission Viejo’s Food Court

August 25, 2014 By Leave a Comment

The Shops at Mission Viejo’s food court is preparing for an upgrade meant to enhance the customer dining experience at the center.

 

Set to start construction this month with the aim to be complete by mid-November, the cosmetic remodel of what will be called the Dining Pavilion will include a new color palette, new flooring, new lighting, new furniture, and two new food kiosks, as well as a new layout that is meant to improve the flow of traffic and visibility throughout the dining area.

 

Rather than the current setup that includes seating in the middle with eateries on the outskirts, the Dining Pavilion will showcase a main walkway through the middle, with trellises and banquettes removed to open up the space.

 

The current food court was installed as a new amenity in 1999, when Simon acquired The Shops at Mission Viejo.

 

“It’s time to give the food court a fresh look and feel,” said Patsy Sanquist, director of marketing and business for The Shops at Mission Viejo. “The population of families in our community continues to grow, and we wanted to respond to the changing needs of our shoppers.

 

Additional features of the upgraded Dining Pavilion will include high bar top counters, charging stations and communal tables big enough to accommodate large families or groups wanting to sit together. The upgrades will be complete just in time for holiday shopping, a busy season at The Shops at Mission Viejo.

 

“We see a lot of birthday parties in the food court, so people will be able to sit together in large parties without having to push tables together,” said Sanquist.

 

The entire area will showcase a clean, contemporary look to complement the Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired style of the mall’s overall architecture. Additionally, interior landscaping outside of the food court will be replaced to create better visibility for the Dining Pavilion from inside the center.

 

Construction will not interrupt business for shoppers or food court tenants, as most of the work will be done at night.  All tenants will be open throughout construction.

 

For more information, visit The Shops at Mission Viejo on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShopsAtMissionViejo, Twitter at twitter.com/ShopsMV or Instagram at instagram.com/ShopsMV.

 

Filed Under: Announcements

Move over Beach Towels! All You need is a Sand Cloud Towel!

August 24, 2014 By 1 Comment

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Why take a Beach Towel to the beach when you can take a Sand Cloud Towel!? What is a Sand Cloud Towel? Sand Cloud is a unique, high quality Turkish beach towel that is much lighter (and better looking) than their average, bulky terry cloth ancestor. It’s easy to stick in your purse or carry in one hand, incorporates a lightweight and comfortable PILLOW to avoid using a shirt or purse under your head, and doubles as a sarong. The best part is that 10% of proceeds are donated to charity to preserve our ocean and beaches. 

I recently received one of these in a lovely light lavender and white and it is now my favorite thing to take to the beach! I love using it at the beach (when my son isn’t using it!) I love how lightweight it is and I love that it has a comfy pillow! Now, that is really clever and so much easier than carrying a beach chair to be comfy at the beach. Now, all I need for the beach is my boogie board, sunscreen and Sand Cloud Towel!

Sand Cloud Towels are designed for ultimate comfort and relaxation. The specialized beach towel includes a removable, cylinder pillow that provides excellent head and neck support that we all search for while laying out. To further enhance the experience we had to insist on upgrading the towel itself. Sand Cloud towels are handwoven from Turkish cotton, eco friendly, and built to last. Aside from its durability, the material is light, easy to pack, and quick drying, becoming softer with each wash. These colorful, vibrant towels are perfect for the beach, pool or lawn, and since the pillow is removable they can also double as a sarong. Did we mention that they repel sand? Never use sand mounds, backpacks, or clothes as a pillow again! 

Handmade in Turkey. 100% Turkish Cotton.

35×60 inches

CaitlinWaves     Pink SC

 

These really are a Must-Have if you live in sunny So Cal! (But, you will love this towel no matter where you live!)

More information:

Sand Cloud was founded in 2014 on the beaches of Southern California. It’s a brand that preaches ultimate comfort and good vibes. The team is comprised of 3 best friend/beach bums who reside in Sunny San Diego, and have an undying love for the simple life along the coast. They believe that good vibes, good energy,and good people are the perfect recipe for a good time. Brandon and Steven have been roommates since their college days at San Diego State University, and they met Bruno right after moving to Pacific Beach. Recently graduated, the idea for the Sand Cloud towel came after a long day at work. One of the founders was trying to take a nap on the beach, while using his backpack as a pillow. Unable to get comfortable, it became obvious that something needed to be done. They knew there had to be a better way to relax on the beach.  The team made several prototypes, using a variety of towel materials, pillows, colors, and sizes.  After a long process of trial and error they finally hit the nail on the head. They developed a towel that works for all surfaces. Sand Cloud is more than just a beach towel, it’s a product that they want to share with the world. Whether you live in LA, New York, Paris, Tokyo, or Dubai, the Sand Cloud towel can bring you that perfect level of comfort, because everyone deserves that cushion of support beneath their head and the earth.

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Buy your own Sand Cloud Towel today! You can also find them on Facebook!

Self Disclosure: I received a free Sand Cloud Towel to facilitate this feature but any opinions expressed are honest and truthful. Photo Credit: Sand Cloud.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

AMBIENT DESIGN LAUNCHES ARTRAGE 4.5

August 23, 2014 By 1 Comment

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Ambient Design (www.artrage.com), the award-winning creator of realistic art software for Mac, Windows, iPad and iPhone, announces the launch ofArtRage 4.5, a major upgrade to their popular painting software for Mac and Windows.  This update is free for all registered users of ArtRage 4, available for immediate download from the ArtRage Members Area at: http://members.artrage.com, with upgrade discounts for owners of previous versions of ArtRage.  Full information can be found at:  http://www.artrage.com/artrage-4/free-update.

ArtRage 4.5 features a 64-bit engine for Mac OS X and Windows, which provides speed improvements and enables working on larger canvases and more complex projects.  ArtRage 4.5 also includes canvas grid overlays, stylus tilt support for the pencil tool, a new font picker, multi-touch gesture support for Mac OS X, and more (see the list below).

New in ArtRage 4.5:

  • 64-Bit Support: ArtRage 4.5 now supports 64-bit processors on Windows and OS X, which means you can work on significantly larger file sizes and canvases and at much faster speeds.  32-bit processors are also supported from the same installer.
  • Canvas Grid Overlay:  highly customizable grid overlays are available on the Canvas and Reference Images to help you map out your paintings and designs in pixels or proportions.  Users can choose between a non-interactive guide or have lines “Snap To Grid.”
  • Live Pencil Tilt: the Pencil Tool now supports Tilt input from your stylus to adjust the angle of the pencil when sketching on devices with tilt support, such as the Wacom Cintiq or Intuos Pro.

Other Tweaks and Improvements:

  • Improved Font Picking.
  • OS X multi-touch gestures for MacBook touchpads and tablets with touch support, such as the Wacom Cintiq.
  • Faster Undo, Redo, and Transform operations.
  • Manual sorting of Toolbox objects and Color Samples.
  • Ability to move and duplicate resources between categories.

 ArtRage 4.5 System Specifications:

  • Compatible with 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows Vista, 7, and 8.
  • Compatible with 32 and 64 bit versions of Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
  • Previous 4.0 version available for download for WinXP users.
  • Supports touch and screen tablet devices, such as Microsoft Surface Pro.
  • Interface runs in English, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and Russian (manual in English).
  • Price: $49.90 U.S.

ArtRage 4.5 is Compatible with Industry Standards

ArtRage is the easiest way to create works of art that look and feel like their real world counterparts, avoiding the traditional computer generated look with a paint simulation that captures the nuances of real expressive media. Anybody who spent a few hours in Adobe Photoshop or Autodesk Sketchbook should quickly pick up familiar functions in ArtRage like layers, opacity, blend modes, plugins, selections, stencils, rulers, transforms, grid tools and scripting. More important, anybody who has picked up a real paintbrush or pencil will feel at home with the artistic tools provided. Free trial version can be tried out at www.artrage.com.

ArtRage 4.5 Users and Artists Quotes:

“I can definitely say that I’ve felt the benefit of improved speed, and have found the ability to drag items around in the toolbox to reorganize at will very useful.  I’ve found it particularly handy for tinkering with sets of color samples, when you need to add a new color and want it to fit in,” – Nick Harris, Nickillus.com.

“I am absolutely delighted with the improved Font Selection process… I am finding the grid really useful as well.  As a lover of Art Nouveau style borders, I can see where to work within the grid, then use the symmetry tool to create one in a flash, which I am having such fun doing. ‘Snap to’ on the grid with Ink Pen Smoothing is also useful to get those sleek controlled sweeps,” – Robyn Rinehart, http://robynrinehart.blogspot.com/

“For me, as a teacher, instructor, the ‘grid’ is a very powerful resource in many ways.  It allows students to have a baseline to establish comparative dimensions… I use  ArtRage 100% for layers combining with manipulated photos and texts published in ArtRage,” – Professor Damasocl.

“64-bit support is one of my favorite aspects of the 4.5 upgrade,” – David K Manuel,davidkmanuel.com.

ArtRage 4.5 Free to ArtRage 4 Users

Available immediately for Mac OSX 10.6 and later, and Windows Vista or later, ArtRage 4.5 supports standard desktop computers, tablets, interactive white boards, and touch screens.  ArtRage 4.5 is priced at $49.90 from: http://www.artrage.com/artrage-store.html (free for registered ArtRage 4 owners at: http://members.artrage.com), info at: http://www.artrage.com/artrage-4/free-update/.   Owners of previous editions of ArtRage (ArtRage 2, ArtRage 3 Studio, or ArtRage 3 Studio Pro) can receive a 50% discount on the price of ArtRage 4.5 by registering and upgrading at http://members.artrage.com.   In addition, ArtRage for iPad and ArtRage for iPhone are priced at $4.99 and $1.99 respectively from the Apple iTunes Store.  For more information, seewww.artrage.com, Facebook:  www.facebook.com/artrage, or Twitter:  @ArtRagehttps://twitter.com/ArtRage (previously @ArtRage_Radar).

About Ambient Design Ltd.

Ambient Design Ltd. is a New Zealand-based global software development and publishing firm, specializing in creative applications and user interfaces for artists of all ages and all levels of competency, including professionals, hobbyists and students. The principals have over 40 years collective experience in combining complex image processing algorithms with an easily accessible user experience. Ambient Design Ltd. was founded in 2000 by Andy Bearsley and Matt Fox-Wilson, formerly of MetaCreations, the developer of Painter, Bryce and Kai’s Power Tools.  Ambient Design’s products are available in 12 languages and have been downloaded over 30 million times.  For more information, see www.artrage.com.

Credit: Ambient Design Ltd.

Filed Under: Featured Products of the Week

Celebrities Love The Hollywood Ticket™

August 23, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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Michael Weatherly, of NCIS fame and uber-famous author, James Patterson, were among the first celebrities to receive The Hollywood Ticket™ bag, at the Jane Pickens Theater & Event Center in Newport, R.I. this past weekend. The Hollywood Ticket™, an innovative movie ticketing program featuring an Academy Award-style “swag” bag, made its debut exclusively at The Jane Pickens Theater & Event Space, celebrating the opening of Woody Allen’s “Magic in the Moonlight.”

The Hollywood Ticket™ “swag” bag has a retail value of $200 and features celebrity favorite products, samples and offers from such lifestyle brands as EBOOST, a discounted stay and spa credit at Petit St Vincent in the Southern Grenadines, the women’s travel guide “Naughty Paris” by former Elle.com Magazine Travel Editor Heather Stimmler-Hall, a plush Medical Monkey, beauty products, chocolate, fashion, jewelry and many hidden surprises from brands whose products have been featured in Hollywood event bags such as the Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and MTV Music Awards to name a few.  There’s even a unique offer from a celebrity psychic in honor of Woody Allen’s “Magic in the Moonlight.”

 

Movie patrons have the opportunity to purchase a regular ticket or upgrade to The Hollywood Ticket™ for a celebrity-style movie going experience.

“We are excited that Michael Weatherly and James Patterson have received their Hollywood Ticket™ bag,” says Paula Conway, founder of The Hollywood Ticket™. “They will be thrilled to find an amazing assortment of emerging lifestyle brands and be some of the first to enjoy the experience.”

For more information on The Hollywood Ticket™ visit, TheHollywoodTicket.net,  facebook.com/TheHollywoodTicket and Twitter @TheHollywoodTkt

 

About The Hollywood Ticket ™

The Hollywood Ticket™ is a movie ticket or event ticket program consisting of exclusive merchandise and offers for a target audience artfully assembled in an attractive, distinctive bag in celebration of a Hollywood blockbuster movie or event, much like a special “goodie bag” as seen at events such as the Academy Awards.  Entrepreneur and small business owner Paula Conway created The Hollywood Ticket™ so that every movie fan can be a red carpet insider.

Credit: The Hollywood Ticket.

Filed Under: Announcements

Penguin Chicks Will Debut In The Aquarium’s June Keyes Penguin Habitat On Wednesday, August 27

August 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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Photo Credit: Hugh Ryono.

 

 Four Magellanic Penguin chicks born at the Aquarium of the Pacific this summer are getting ready for their debut. 

The public can see the penguin chicks at the June Keyes Penguin Habitat when the Aquarium opens at 9:00 a.m. August 27th. (Media will be attending prior to 9 am) The public can watch the 8:15 a.m. debut on live webcams: http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/exhibits/webcams/

 

The four baby birds are behind the scenes learning how to be handfed fish and to swim, and two are now ready to go on exhibit. The Aquarium has live webcams in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, allowing people around the world to tune in to catch a glimpse of the chicks exploring the habitat for the first time and meeting with their parents. Cameras are located above and below the water, giving viewers up-close and candid looks at the lives of the Aquarium’s penguins. The webcams have been provided courtesy of explore.org, the philanthropic multimedia arm of the Annenberg Foundation.

 

The public will also have the chance to help name a chick though the Aquarium’s Adopt an Animal program by adopting at the $100 limited-edition penguin chick level or above before October 31, 2014. The person whose suggested name is chosen by Aquarium staff members will be able to go behind the scenes and participate in a feeding and training session with the penguins.

 

Native to Argentina and Chile, this penguin species prefers a more temperate climate such as that of Southern California than their Antarctic-dwelling cousins. Magellanic Penguin chicks hatch with their eyes closed and are able to open them about a week later. After about ninety days the chicks fledge, losing their downy newborn feathers, which are replaced with water-tight, sub-adult feathers.

 

 

More info:

Starting August 27, 2014, at 9:00 a.m., the public can see new Magellanic Penguin chicks in the Aquarium of the Pacific’s June Keyes Penguin Habitat. The public will also have the chance to help name a chick though the Aquarium’s Adopt an Animal program by adopting at the $100 limited-edition penguin chick level or above before October 31, 2014. The person whose suggested name is chosen by Aquarium staff members will be able to go behind the scenes to participate in a feeding and training session with the penguins. All “parents” at the $100 level will receive an adoption certificate, color photo, fact sheet about the animal, a penguin plush toy, and two aquarium admission tickets. Higher levels include such benefits as Behind-the-Scenes Tours and Animal Encounters. For a full list of levels and benefits, please visit www.aquariumofpacific.org/adoptachick. The Aquarium is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. Aquarium admission is $28.95 for adults 12+, $25.95 for seniors 62+, $14.95 per child (ages 3-11), and free to Aquarium members and children under age three. The penguin chicks can also be seen via the Aquarium’s live webcams. For more information, visit www.aquariumofpacific.org or call (562) 590-3100.

 

Filed Under: SoCal City Kids News

Batman: Assault on Arkham- A Comic-Book Based Film That Follows the Bad Guys!

August 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

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If you’re a fan of the game series, then you’ll love this movie. It is extremely violent, just like the games and thus, we recommend for older teens and adults. KIDS FIRST! Film Critic and comic book expert, Keefer B. comments, “The characters are dynamic. As much as I love heroes, I adore villains. A protagonist is nothing without an antagonist and these criminals take the cake.” Anthony A. adds, “This movie is a funny movie but has a lot of violence. It also has a lot of gore and a ton of action.” See their full reviews below.

Batman: Assault on Arkham
Reviewed by Keefer B.

Vigorous! This is your typical entertaining comic book film, only this time you’re cheering for, and looking from, the bad guys’ point of view.

Amanda Waller (C.C.H. Pounder) assembles a team of six criminals, called The Suicide Squad. Their mission is to break into Arkham and retrieve The Riddler’s (Mathew Gray Gubler) cane. However it does not go according to plan.

This film is rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language and I admire this film’s judgment. Not long ago, I wrote a blog about the rating system and how leisurely the ratings are letting mature content into PG-13 films without forewarnings. I can’t complain since this film gives us a clear heads up! I will say, one of the film’s characters towards the end says, ”Mother…” and then the audio cuts off. I don’t believe that counts for using the “F” word.

The characters are dynamic. As much as I love heroes, I adore villains. A protagonist is nothing without an antagonist and these criminals take the cake. Batman villains are unlike your regular, “Want to take over the world” bad guys. They are complex criminals that are assassins, deranged psychologically, destined to kill and maim for fun, and sometimes all of the above at once. What’s even better, these characters are lesser known villains such as Killer Shark (John DiMaggio), Captain Boomerang (Greg Ellis) and more – all with their own vendetta both personal and business. This creates engaging conflict between the characters.

The artistry in the animation never ceases to amaze me. Batman’s universe is dark and brooding with lots of shadows and dim lights. Colors like red, green and purple are done in darker shades and tones instead of normal bright tones. The characters all have costumes and designs that define them. Joker (Troy Baker)’s bright colored suit stands out from the rest of the characters while still looking like a part of the world he lives in.

My favorite Character is Deadshot (Neal McDonugh). Deadshot is the leader who only wants to be with his daughter. He’s cunning, a sharp shooter and deadly. He even manages to get into Joker’s mind and outsmart him. That’s impressive.

My favorite scene is when the squad is up against Batman (Kevin Conroy). This takes place in a building full of confiscated belongings from the criminals of Arkham. So if you’re a comic book fan, like me, see how many different Easter Eggs you can spot. Plus this is one of the rare times you see Batman do what he does best.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars and recommended it to 13- through 18-year-olds. As I mentioned earlier, there is content that is inappropriate for younger kids. This film is out on DVD and Blue-ray now.

Batman: Assault on Arkham
Reviewed by Anthony A., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

This movie is a funny movie but has a lot of violence. It also has a lot of gore and a ton of action. I really enjoyed this movie and I hope you will too.

This movie is all about a squad that is called The Suicide Squad which is a squad of super villains. They have to listen to a government lady named Amanda Waller who wants to kill the Riddler. If anyone from The Suicide Squad tries to run or doesn’t listen or, if they try to kill Amanda they will die. All the members have a bomb in the back of their neck which she will set off and blow their heads clean off if they disobey. So they all go to Arkham to try to kill the Riddler for her.

The main characters in this movie are The Joker (Troy Baker), Harley Quinn (Hynden Walch), Batman (Kevin Conroy), Deadshot (Neal McDonough), Killer Frost (Jennifer Hale), Captain Boomerang (Greg Ellis), The Riddler (Matthew Gray Gubler), Amanda Waller (CCH Pounder), King Shark (John Dimaggio) and Black Spider (Giancarlo Esposito). My favorite character in the movie is Deadshot because he may be a bad guy but he is more like a good guy. He will do anything for his daughter, even if he has to kill a few people. I guess that explains why he is in prison.

My favorite part in the movie is when The Joker gets out of jail and kills a few people because it is really cool and has a good amount of action. It also had a little gore and involves a smoke bomb. It is really cool and since The Joker’s out of jail, no one is laughing but him.

I would recommend this movie for ages 12 to 18 because it has a few bad words, a few inappropriate scenes and has killing and gore. This is available in DVD/Blu-ray now.

Credit: KIDS FIRST! Coming Attractions, www.kidsfirst.org

Filed Under: Media Reviews
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