Archives for October 2023

Bring the haunt home and add Disney’s Haunted Mansion to your movie collection. The film arrives at all major digital retailers including Prime Video, Apple TV, and Vudu/Fandango on October 4 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 17.

Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Haunted Mansion is “a ghoulish delight” (Aaron Neuwirth, We Love Entertainment) that “captures the spooky fun of the theme park ride with a gaggle of family-friendly humor” (Julian Roman, Movieweb).

Fans can add the film to their collection and access exclusive never-before-seen bonus features including deleted scenes, extended gag reel and exclusive featurettes. Disney+ viewers can also watch the film from October 4 when it debuts on the streaming service.

Film Synopsis
Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, Haunted Mansion tells the story of Gabbie (Rosario Dawson), a single mom, who discovers that the home she and her son share is haunted by irksome ghosts. Hoping to restore domestic tranquility, Gabbie recruits a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid the house of the supernatural squatters. A non-stop blend of action, adventure and comedy featuring an all-star cast that includes LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto, Haunted Mansion was written by Katie Dippold and directed by Justin Simien. The film’s producers are Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich, with Nick Reynolds and Tom Peitzman serving as executive producers.

Bonus Features*
FEATURETTES:

• Making Haunted Mansion (13:05) Hear from cast, crew and filmmakers about creating this grim grinning adventure based on the world-famous ride. See how the ghosts were “brought to life,” what role new technology played, and how the wildly popular attraction inspired the film’s design.
• 999 Happy Haunts (7:05) There are 999 Happy Haunts inside the Disney Parks’ attraction…but always room for one more! See all the Easter eggs (well, maybe not all of them) where characters big, small, alive, departed, human and otherwise appear in both the movie and the ride.

DELETED SCENES:
Take a look at some moments that passed on before the final version of Haunted Mansion was finished.

• Carol (0:45)
• 1 Star (0:44)
• Harriet’s House Of Intuition (3:11)
• They Say The Place Is Haunted (1:16)
• Between Realms (1:42)
• Crump Manor (1:07)
• Emergency Baptism (1:01)
• A Good Head For Business (0:32)

GAG REEL:

• Who knew making a scary movie could be so funny!

I really enjoyed this movie and highly recommend it! A fun family Halloween movie!

Self Disclosure: I received digital assets and information to post.

Everyone knows Fall Hollow is haunted. It has been ever since Abigail Snook went into the woods many years ago, never to be seen again. Since then, it’s been a tradition for the sixth graders at Beckett Elementary to play the Bellwoods Game on Halloween night. Three kids are chosen to go into the woods. Whoever rings the bell there wins the game and saves the town for another year, but if Abigail’s ghost captures the players first, the spirit is let loose to wreak havoc on Fall Hollow—or so the story goes. Now that it’s Bailee’s year to play, she can finally find out what really happens. And legend has it the game’s winner gets a wish. Maybe, just maybe, if Bailee wins, she can go back to the way things used to be before her grandma got sick and everyone at school started hating her. But when the night begins, everything the kids thought they knew about the game—and each other—is challenged. One thing’s for sure: something sinister is at play…waiting for them all in the woods.

Author Bio: Celia Krampien grew up in a house in the woods in a small town near Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada. She studied illustration at Sheridan College and currently lives in St. Catharines, Ontario, with her partner, a mischievous cat, and a nosy beagle. She is the author of The Bellwoods Game.

At its heart, OCTOBER WITCHES is about the importance of family and of connection with others. While the curse of being an October witch threatens to drive the entire family apart, it is Clemmie’s love for them and her determination not to give up that saves them all and brings them back together again. With Arthurian elements, themes of friendship and family, a whole lot of magic and witchery, and quirky, offbeat family of eccentric aunts, this is sure to please.

Clemmie’s voice is an absolute delight, and her quirky, offbeat family of eccentric aunts are, no pun intended, deeply enchanting. They are a new offering in a genre grounded by its casts of communities of idiosyncratic and unconventional women—think Practical Magic, Hocus Pocus, and The Craft.

Both books are perfect for Middle-grade students!

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

I’m the biggest fan of Snoopy and the Peanuts gang so I was delighted to receive this next book! A spooky season classic gets new life in this lap board book edition of the Peanuts gang’s whimsical Halloween adventures!

It’s Halloween night, and the Peanuts gang is busy dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, and bobbing for apples. Meanwhile, Linus waits for the Great Pumpkin to rise from the pumpkin patch and bring toys to all the children of the world. Could this be the year it finally appears? I love this story and it’s a must-buy!

With her stick-on fangs and widow’s peak drawn in waterproof eyeliner, Sylvie is an expert at pretending to be a vampire. More kids at school would know that if they bothered to join her monster LARPing (live action role playing) club. Not even her dad understands her passion for the undead and denies her request to attend a monster LARPing summer camp. But Sylvie is not so easily deterred. She decides to tell her dad she’s attending another camp located near Monster Camp then sneak over to her real destination after he drops her off. Sylvie feels bad lying to her dad, but there’s no way she’s going to miss the chance to finally meet other kids that share her interests. And when she lays eyes on Monster Camp, she knows it was all worth it—the immersive campgrounds look like they came off a Hollywood lot! But when an obnoxious kid dressed like a werewolf gets punished by being magically turned into a Pomeranian, Sylvie realizes she made a critical miscalculation. These aren’t LARPers, they’re real monsters, and Sylvie’s preferred costume means she’s placed with blood-sucking, human-biting campers who would breathe fire if they knew the truth about her. She has no choice but to try to stick it out by doing exactly what she does best: pretending to be a monster.

About the Author: Sarah Henning is a recovering journalist who has worked for The Palm Beach Post, The Kansas City Star, Associated Press, and more. She is the author of Sea Witch, The Princess Will Save You, Throw Like a Girl, and Monster Camp, among others. When not writing, she runs ultramarathons, hits the playground with her two kids, and hangs out with her husband, Justin, who doubles as her long-suffering IT department. Sarah lives in Lawrence, Kansas. Visit her at SarahHenningWrites.com.

Happy Halloween!

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of the above books to facilitate this post. Images and information were also provided.

Every Sunday after cereal, Sam and Mom walk to the laundromat, wash their clothes, and see their friends. But this Sunday is different. Today, doing laundry means packing clean clothes in boxes to move away. Sam doesn’t want to leave their neighborhood and friends. Maybe if they hope with all their might, they can turn a washing machine into a wishing machine! Sam’s imagination transforms the mundane into a series of wonders as they cope with change and learn the true meaning of home.

The Wishing Machine is a warm and loving depiction of a diverse, working-class neighborhood. The story tenderly depicts the sadness that comes with moving away as the mundane laundromat transforms into a world of colorful possibility and hope through Sam’s childlike eyes. This wonder-filled perspective perfectly captures the nuanced feelings involved with change and big life transitions and makes it deeply relatable to any imaginative young reader.

This is a delightful story and I loved the characters and the illustrations!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jonathan Hillman is a graduate of Hamline University’s Writing for Children and Young Adults (MFAC) program, where he received the Walden Pond Press Scholarship for Excellence in Middle Grade Fiction. His essay and poems are featured in the Fat & Queer anthology, and he is the author of picture books Big Wig and The Wishing Machine. He lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota, with his two cats. Visit him at JHillmanBooks.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Nadia Alam is a second-generation Bangladeshi Canadian illustrator. She lives in Toronto with her husband, daughter, son, and dog named Momo. The Wishing Machine is her first book for children. Visit her online at NadiaAlamIllustration.com.

Self Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to facilitate this post. Information and images were also provided.

A typical summer for four young friends becomes the adventure of a lifetime when they notice that something is amiss at their favorite swimming spot as their friends and family begin falling ill.  When they discover that the local factory is dumping harmful chemicals into the town’s water, they must expose the truth and figure out how to stop the pollution and save the town before it’s too late.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Sydney S. comments, “I really like the hilarious adventure film, Little Heroes. It has a suspenseful storyline that kept me engaged and is a wonderful comfort movie!” Eshaan M. adds, “The casting of Little Heroes is a high point, as is its production quality. Coleman Christian as Robbie and Max Gerstenberg as Brewster are the stars of the cast; it’s evident they paid attention to even the littlest nuances in playing their characters.” See their full reviews below.

Little Heroes

By Sydney S., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 13

I really like the hilarious adventure film, Little Heroes. It has a suspenseful storyline that kept me engaged and is a wonderful comfort movie!

This film is about a group of friends attempting to save their whole town before a factory releases harmful chemicals into their favorite lake. Will it be too late to stop the corrupt factory?

The characters in the friend group are Robbie (Coleman Christian), Brewster (Max Gerstenberg), Grace (Ashtine Besteda), and Eric (Corban Jaaz). Other main characters are Diana (Alexa Feldman), Drew Brewster (Brian Stever), and Kerri Smithson (Brittany Goodwin). The characters’ interactions are entertaining and they make me feel like I’m in the scene with them. I really admire that despite hardships in their lives, Robbie, Brewster, Grace, and Eric always show up for each other. This is shown when Robbie has a deep conversation with Brewster about his dad working extra hours to make more money. Audiences could relate to this on a personal level. Robbie is a supportive friend, as are the others. I also like the diversity in the friend group. From interests to feminism, everyone in the audience is represented in some way in the group. They are all completely different but get along. Next, I applaud the director and writers, Brittany Goodwin, Doug Maddox, and Jeremiah Wiseblood. They created a suspenseful storyline with an interesting resolution (you’ll have to wait and see!) The film is slow at times but it eventually picks up the pace. The camerawork is shaky when there’s a lot of action, and closeups when the scene feels more intimate. The sets are well-made, too. I like their clubhouse because it looks like the perfect hangout place. The watering hole, town ice cream shop, and factory look realistic, as well. There’s tension in the music when Brewster sneaks into the factory. All of these little details enhance the movie overall. My favorite part of the film is the characters Grace and Diana. They’re both strong female leaders and I like their personalities. 

The message of this film is that community is the only thing that matters. Love comes before money, power, and success. Brewster’s dad figures this out. Another message is that teamwork makes the dream work. Also, Robbie mentions to Brewster that he has “friends that love him,” which is an important reminder. 

I give Little Heroes 4 out of 5 stars and recommend this for ages 8 to 12. Little Heroes comes out October 17, 2023 on VOD. 

Little Heroes

By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 17

With a simple but engaging story and strong casting, Little Heroes is the perfect film to culminate your summer with! 

Little Heroes takes place in a small town where four young friends — Robbie (Coleman Christian), Brewster (Max Gerstenberg), Eric (Corban Jazz) and Grace (Ashtine Besteda) — are enjoying their summer break. Brewster’s father works in a factory which gets a contract with the town government. He soon finds out that the factory plans to expand their operations, and as a byproduct, is dumping hazardous chemicals into a lake where his son and his friends swim. The friend group catches wind of this and realizes they must use their wits to find a solution.

The casting of Little Heroes is a high point, as is its production quality. Coleman Christian as Robbie and Max Gerstenberg as Brewster are the stars of the cast; it’s evident they paid attention to even the littlest nuances in playing their characters. Director and producer Brittany Goodwin has taken all the pains to ensure that every audiovisual element of the film is perfectly tuned. The score by Andrei Shulgach comes off a little bit like stock music, but it does suit the film. It’s similar with the costumes, which fit the film’s eclectic characters but somehow seem snatched out of a children’s book. My personal favorite is the set design by Jennifer Dopp, Donald Imm and Craig Weaver, and the editing and color-correction by Justin Moe and Cinegach Studios. The town in which Little Heroes takes place looks picture-perfect, and every frame is vibrant. I also enjoyed how the plot came together; sure, it is predictable at some points, but there are other plot points (including a romance!) that come out of nowhere. The script feels a little bit forced and the chemistry between Brewster and his father doesn’t really work for me; their relationship feels unnatural. 

Little Heroes promotes teamwork, caring for our environment, and friendship. It also shows that our individual talents are what help us most in times of crisis. It’s a great film for young viewers interested in conservation and those who are fans of realistic fiction. Parents should know that the children do wander around on their own in the film and do risky things like jumping into a biohazardous lake. Also, one character nearly drowns. 

I give Little Heroes 4.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 8 to 18, plus adults. The film releases on October 17, 2023 on demand. 

Trailer:

A magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City and gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The Mighty Pups.

KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Kendall B. comments, “PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is fantastically entertaining for younger viewers, with its fun storyline, bright colors and adorable characters. There are so many fun scenes that younger kids will enjoy. I really enjoyed the music choices in this film – it’s a good mix of popular songs that different age groups will recognize and they are placed at nice points of the movie.” See her full review below.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie

By Kendall B., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 12

If you need a new movie to keep your young ones entertained check out PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie. It has everything kids love and more.

After a meteor strikes Adventure City, damaging their Pup Tower – the PAW Patrol finds themselves with superpowers. But the pups soon realize they’re in danger because Humdinger and mad scientist Victoria Vance are after these superpowers to make themselves into ultimate supervillains. It’s up to Ryder and his team of mighty puppies to keep what is theirs as they learn that truly no pup is too small.

PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is fantastically entertaining for younger viewers, with its fun storyline, bright colors and adorable characters. There are so many fun scenes that younger kids will enjoy. I really enjoyed the music choices in this film – it’s a good mix of popular songs that different age groups will recognize and they are placed at nice points of the movie. The filmtakes place in Adventure City and the animators really excel in the attention to detail in creating the city as well as the other settings throughout the film. My favorite scene is when Sky tells Chase about her backstory; it is a really sentimental point of the film and is super sweet.

The theme of PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie is that if you believe in yourself you can do anything. Sky spends most of the movie contemplating her size because she’s the smallest in the group, but in the end she learns that her size doesn’t determine whether she can be a hero, she just has to believe in herself. Ryder says throughout the movie, “no pup too small.” The pups learn the importance of this throughout the movie when they realize they all must work together to keep their powers.

I give PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it for ages 2 to 8. It releases in theaters September 29, 2023.

 MY CAT DOES BALLET by Robert Heidbreder, illustrated by Matt Schu will make cat lovers and ballet fans rejoice everywhere (on sale 10/17/23). In this quirky story, a boy shares his love of ballet with his cat who can dance pas de deux and grand jetés—unlike everyone else’s ordinary cats.

My Cat Does Ballet is a lighthearted, joyful book that opens the door for all kids to explore the delights of ballet, regardless of their gender. Readers will be introduced to ballet terms and famous dancers in an accessible and fun story. The backmatter includes a glossary of the ballet terms that are mentioned throughout as well as a brief description of all the famous dancers, past and present, the characters are named after. This is a fun read for children who love cats!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Heidbreder was born in Quincy, Illinois, and later moved to Vancouver, BC, where he became an award-winning primary school teacher. Living in Vancouver, he discovered his love of ballet. He attends as many performances as he and his wife can. Their two cats sadly have to stay at home. My Cat Does Ballet is his twenty-first picture book. Visit him at RobertHeidbreder.com.

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Matt Schu is the illustrator of Cut!: How Lotte Reiniger and a Pair of Scissors Revolutionized Animation by C.E. Winters and My Cat Does Ballet by Robert Heidbreder. Due to growing up in the Pacific Northwest, he draws a lot of trees, houses, and cloudy skies. He lives with his cat in Portland, Oregon, and she can do an impressive tour en l’air. Visit him at Matt-Schu.com.

Self Disclosure: I received a free copy of the book to feature. A cover image was also provided.