National Parks Park FREE Dates

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National Park Service announced the park fee-free dates at our National Parks.  With over 400 National parks, it difficult to just pick one favorite park.   There are the majestic views of Yellowstone National Park and the beautiful landscape of White Sands National Park to name a few.

Park fee-free dates are great for day trips or weekend trips with your families.

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The 2018 Park fee-FREE dates are as follows:

Start planning your 2018 day, weekend or vacations in 2018 around these dates!

Photo Credit:  Eva Smith

 

 

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Snatched – Five Reasons To Love Snatched Movie

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There are many reasons to love Snatched movie.    A hilarious and fun mother-daughter comedy stars Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn, Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes, Christopher Meloni and  Joan Cusack.  After her boyfriend dumps her on the eve of their exotic vacation, impetuous dreamer Emily Middleton (Amy Schumer) persuades her ultra-cautious mother,  Linda (Goldie Hawn) to travel with her to paradise. Polar opposites, Emily and Linda realize that working through their differences as mother and  daughter – in unpredictable, hilarious fashion – is the only way to escape  the wildly outrageous jungle adventure they have fallen into.

Emily and Linda’s relationship has become distant, but Linda never let that stop her from being a helicopter mom and posting from her social handles.  Although she had a wild and adventurous life during her youth, Linda Middleton now enjoys her quiet suburban life and has no real time for adventure until her daughter persuades her to go on a trip of a lifetime.

 

Cast has More Chemistry Than A Science Project

Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer have a lot of chemistry as a mother-daughter duo.  Amy Schumer, read the script to Snatched and just pictured it with Goldie Hawn and herself the whole time.   She only had one person in mind and then she saw her on a plane, and in the airport, “I went up after the flight and I just said, I love you, like everyone else, and I’m a comic actress, and there’s this movie, and I really want you to play my mom. And so, I wanted to just kind of plant the seed. I wasn’t like can I have your email, but I hoped she remembered and whatever. And then we really met in London and got in cahoots together to try to make this movie with the two of us.”

When the two met again at a party a couple years later, Hawn took the offer more seriously and accepted the role.

Schumer rounded up the who’s who of comedy Ike Barinholtz, Wanda Sykes, Christopher Meloni and  Joan Cusack.   Joan Cusak’s charcter Barb is a retired as a Special Ops Agent who uses nonverbal communication.  She also embraced the opportunity to work with comedy legend Goldie Hawn.  Wanda Syke’s character, Ruth is a strong and dependable woman who is an old friend of Barb.    They spend a lot of time practicing their non verbal communication to prepare for the role.

Playing Emily’s basement dwelling brother Jeffrey is Ike Barinholtz.  Bashir Salahuddin plays the state department agent who takes Jeffrey’s call for help.

Christopher Meloni stepped into the role as Roger, an explorer searching the amazon who guides Emily and Linda through the jungle.   The cast is fun, smart, witty and make you laugh from beginning to end.  Seriously, are they all related.

 

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Goldie Hawn Is Back In Film After 14 Year Hiatus

After a 14 year absences in film, Goldie returns to a role of a lifetime as a down to earth, wise helicopter mom who is depressed.   Goldie Hawn had spent many years acting and producing and volunteering for charities which have helped over 1 million students.

When the offer came along, Hawn considered the role in a larger context of her life’s work.  “Everything that I’ve ever done in my life has to bring me joy,” Hawn says.

Addresses Body Image, Self-Esteem and Motherhood Advice Like A Boss

Emily and Linda are both dealing with many issues including body image and self-esteem.  Linda’s husband left her and that has affected how she reacts to the world around her.

Emily is dealing with self esteem and body image issues after a recent breakup.  Emily is selfish, immature and gets a newly found understanding and respect for Linda, her mom through her interactions with her mom.  Amy Schumer introduced the topic in a vulnerable and transparent scene while showing her body in the movie.  For “me showing my body is not me like really making a statement or anything. It’s really just like I feel beautiful, and I think I’m sexy and healthy, and it wasn’t hard, I wasn’t worried about it, it wasn’t like a choice.”

Linda is dealing with a heartbreak by her husband and empty nester syndrome.  Caring for everyone around her has left her with little time to care for herself.  Goldie Hawn is all of us trying to protect her children from harm while giving great advice.   According to Goldie Hawn, ” There’s certain things that mothers do automatically. You’ve got eyes in the back of your head, and you don’t want your kids to fall in potholes. And so, what happens is is that, when they’re little, I think that’s who you should be as a mother, right?  But, unfortunately, there’s no transition that’s made. As they get older, they’re going to have to fall in their own potholes. And that’s when you have to learn to let go. Regarding her character,

Goldie Hawn also provides motherhood and mother-daughter advise.  She states, “I know that as my piece of wisdom, but this character did not know that. This character was completely unconscious about it, and by the way, extremely needy for herself because what happens is is when you have any empty nest situation and you lose your daughter.   And it’s a very powerful image because when your daughter leaves, not always your son, but when your daughter leaves, it feels different, and you feel weak, and you are aging. And it says a lot of things about you losing your youth and your vitality because you have to pass the baton to your daughter.” states Goldie Hawn.  “And that’s a very sometimes unconscious reason why do I feel depressed, why do I not feel happy, why do I not feel sexual, why am I sad, why do I cry for no reason. These are the kind of things that women need to know,” says Goldie Hawn. “You know, when my mother died, I knew I had lost the only person in my life that would love me unconditionally, no matter what. And that was a big loss. So, my mother bereaved when I left her–you later begin to bereave the loss of that love. And it comes back to you in unseen ways.” “But, it’s a big moment of feeling like an orphan. And I think that people have to remember that. There is an end game. So, when you look at that, that’s where I brought my creation of this character from. She came from somebody who basically stayed much, much more closed in order not to feel the pain, not to feel rejection, not to feel–and with that comes fear.” says Goldie Hawn.

“You don’t regain it by telling your kids what to do, and you don’t regain it by putting sun guard on them. You regain it becoming a friend and a person that you can talk to and share with and be intimate with and sometimes tell things you don’t want to tell anybody else. So, that’s trust. So, in this particular movie, I think that this mother is someone who felt those things, and I think she misses her daughter. But, her life isn’t full the way women’s lives are full. She gave that up. Her husband left her for a younger woman.” states Goldie Hawn.

Makes You Want To Take Your Mama To The Movies

Amy brought her mom to the movie, and she held hands at specific parts. “I knew she would know the parts that were taken exactly from us”, said Amy.    “And she laughed louder than anybody. Anything I’ve ever written or said about my mom she’s seen it and agreed on it.  Then at the end of the movie, we were both bawling. And it was like at the screening where it was editors, and it was inappropriate, I would say. And it caught me by surprise and it was important to me like have this kind of love letter to her like I get it and you did the best I could and I want to be grateful for you. And, you know, it’s the most complicated relationship in the world, right?” Right!  Every mother daughter duo can relate to different parts. of the movie.” states Amy Schumer.

 

Makes your Heart Happy

Mother Daughter relationships are the best things in the world and are complicated.  They make you happy they make you emotional.  They make you dance for joy and they make you cry.   The movie does a great job of depicting a mother daughter relationship, balancing the joy and madness of mother daughter relationships.  Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer’s chemistry is so palatable, you forget their really not mother and daughter in real life.   Each and every character in Snatched movie has a role and will bring joy to your life.    The greatest lesson in all of this is that Emily learns that she will never have a greater advocate in life than her mother.  Snatched is in theaters Mother’s Day weekend.

Friends don’t let friends get Mom bathroom soaps for Mother’s Day. Go here: SnatchedMovieTickets.com

Official Websites

Visit the Official SNATCHED website for additional information.

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LA LA LAND Guide To Things In LA – LA LA LAND In Concert

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If you love LA LA LAND you are going to love this concert!

LA LA LAND concert: The Hollywood Bowl LA LA LAND concert will feature a 100-piece orchestra, choir and jazz band performing along to the film and the actor’s original vocal recordings, and the show will be conducted by composer Justin Hurwitz, who won two Academy Awards for the movie’s music. After the Memorial Day shows in L.A., the show will hit the road for dates in cities including Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, San Antonio, Dallas, IndianapolistSeattle, Portland, San Diego, San Antonio, Dallas, Indianapolis, Nashville, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Denver and Washington.

LA LA LAND will be in concert on May 27 and May 28. Tickets available at Ticketmaster.

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Beauty And The Beast Fun Facts And Movie Review

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Beauty and the Beast is in theaters now.  The live action movie brings to life the animated tale of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a Beast in his castle.  Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s exterior and realize the kind heart of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s father; Josh Gad as LeFou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Ewan McGregor as Lumière, the candelabra; Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Audra McDonald as Madame de Garderobe, the wardrobe; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; Hattie Morahan as the enchantress; and Nathan Mack as Chip, the teacup; with Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.

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The classic tale of “Beauty and the Beast” – and its empowering message that true beauty comes from within – dates back to 18th century France and the first published version of the fairy tale, “La Belle et la Bête,” by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve. Today, the themes are still just as relevant and the story continues to enthrall storytellers.

 

Beauty and the Beast Characters

Prior to 1991, most female characters in animated films were viewed as passive and somewhat one dimensional, but Belle broke the mold. She is interested in literature, has thoughts of her own and is not easily intimidated, and quickly became an empowered role model for girls around the world and the first contemporary feminist heroine in an animated film. “Belle is someone who doesn’t really care about becoming a princess,” says Condon. “She’s more interested in seeing the world and figuring out who she is than in finding a man and getting married.” Not only does Belle herself love reading, but she also loves sharing her passion for books. Says Condon, “We all know how intelligent and worldly and sophisticated Emma is, and while that doesn’t describe.

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Several of Beauty and the Beast’s main characters include Lumière, Cogsworth, Chip, Mrs. Potts and Babette.  Visual effects broughtLumière, Cogsworth, Chip, Mrs. Potts and Babette to life.  According to Dan Stevens, the scenes with the Beast and the household objects also took a great deal of imagination on his part. He explains, “I would walk on the set to film a scene where I am speaking to Lumière but I would be looking at an LED light on a stick and hearing Ewan’s voice. It was like an extra level of weird that we had to deal with.” For the design of the mantel clock, Cogsworth, played by Ian McKellen, the base and main box were made from polyester resin and painted gold. The exterior pieces were gold plated, the face was made from brass, and it was fitted with proper clock movements to make the ticking and movement of the weights authentic. The candelabra, Lumière (Ewan McGregor), is one of the few household objects that could open up and become a moving character with what are essentially arms, legs and hands, and the filmmakers wanted to bring as much of McGregor’s personality to the character as possible. McGregor was filmed dancing and moving the way he envisioned Lumière would move, via performance capture technology. “Lumière was difficult to concept because we wanted him to be able to move, but at the end of the day he’s still a gilded candlestick,” says visual effects producer Steve Gaub. “Once we had a 3D computer model of him that everyone was happy with, he was constructed from a process called rapid prototyping which is able to take 3D computer files and produce an accurate model in polyester resin so you can physically see and feel it.” The same process was used for the teapot, Mrs. Potts (Emma Thompson): she was designed via computer, prototyped and then molded. To bring Garderobe (Audra McDonald) to life, a real version of the beautiful – and enormous – wardrobe was created and rigged to make her move. Additional special effects elements, like those in the scene where Garderobe creates Belle’s gown and dresses her, were then added in post-production.

Dan Stevens conversed with Thompson about the relationship between the Beast and Mrs. Potts, and says, “Mrs. Potts is the closest thing the Beast has to a mother figure, really. She’s a bit like his strict aunt; she keeps him in line, keeps him in check, and it was nice to chat and establish that between ourselves.” The filmmakers reasoned that if anyone could take on the legacy of a character created by Angela Lansbury, it was Thompson, as she has a similar warmth, history and connection to an audience. Newcomer Nathan Mack plays Mrs. Potts’ son, Chip, who is now a teacup, and Hattie Morahan (“Alice Through the Looking Glass,” “Mr. Holmes”) is the enchantress who places the spell on the Beast and his castle at the beginning of the story.

Beauty and the Beast Filmmaking FUN facts

  • Over 8,700 candles (or 104,400 inches of wax) were used as set decoration during production.
  • The ballroom floor in the Beast’s castle is made from 12,000 square feet of faux marble and its design is based on a pattern found on the ceiling of the Benedictine Abbey in Braunau, Germany. The 10 glass chandeliers in the ballroom – each measuring 14 feet by 7 feet – are based on actual chandeliers from Versailles which were then frosted, covered in fabric and candlelit.
  • Approximately 1,500 red roses were grown or purchased during production for use as research or set decoration. The enchanted forest which surrounds the Beast’s castle and features real trees, hedges, a frozen lake and 20,000 icicles, took 15 weeks to complete. Approximately 180 feet of feather light satin organza was used to create Belle’s yellow dress. The dress, which required 3,000 feet of thread and took over 12,000 hours to create, was accentuated with 2,160 Swarovski crystals.
  • During production, the costume department challenged itself to design and create ethical and sustainable costumes made from fair-trade fabrics (meaning the use of organic materials from suppliers that pay their employees a fair wage and are considerate of the environment), which they achieved. Working in tandem with Eco Age and the Green Carpet Challenge, the department used natural and low impact dyes, carefully disposing of any waste water, and printed with traditional wood blocks.
  • A production crew comprised of more than 1,000 people worked around the clock to design, build and decorate the film’s mammoth sets.
  • Philippe, Belle (Emma Watson) and Maurice’s (Kevin Kline) horse, is played by three different horses, two of which had to be painted on a daily basis. Emma Watson (Belle), Emma Thompson (Mrs. Potts), Luke Evans (Gaston) and Nathan Mack (Chip) all share the same birthday, April 14, which was also the date of the cast read through.
  • Froufrou, the dog belonging to Madame de Garderobe (Audra McDonald) and Maestro Cadenza (Stanley Tucci), is played by Gizmo, a rescue from one of the U.K.’s oldest and most famous animal rescue centers.
  • The coat of arms in the Beast’s castle is a lion and a boar with a WD anagram (the WD is meant to represent a fictional character, William Devereaux, but could also stand for Walt Disney).
  • Some of the original lyrics written by Howard Ashman for the songs “Gaston” and “Beauty and the Beast” that were not used in the animated film have been added to the live-action adaptation.
  • The lend-a-hand lights on the terrace and staircase in the Beast’s castle and the rose colonnade on the castle grounds are an homage to Jean Cocteau’s 1946 Avant Garde film, “La Belle et le Bête, which was a source of inspiration for Bill Condon.

 

Beauty and the Beast Movie Review

The re-telling of the 1991 animated Beauty and the Beast animation brings to life Belle, the Beast, Lumière, Cogsworth, Chip, Mrs. Potts and Babette.   Belle is independent, a rebel, nonconformist intellectual inventor.   Instead of marrying a prince and following the traditional path of girls in her village she is in love with books, education and the arts.   Emma Watson is the ideal actor for Belle.

I watched the original 1991 Classic a million times.  Unlike the original movie classic, the new movie will answer the question about what happened to Belle’s mother as well as a backstory to the Beast.  However, the live-action film bring the animated film to life especially with the added visual effects.   It is a great film for families and children.  For additional information visit the Beauty and the Beast online.

 

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Dreamworks Trolls Movie Review

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The one thing we need right now is unity, and that’s simply what Dreamworks latest work, “Trolls,” brings. Not only does it show us the importance of unity, but it also brings smiles and laughter to us during a very scary and crucial time for our nation. The movie itself is short and sweet just like the protagonists. However, nearly every single second of the film is colorful and elevating. “Trolls” has an excellent soundtrack as well, and seems to fit the format of old school animated movies that used fun soundtracks to compliment the plotline and characters. If you’re not sold by now, “Trolls” also carries an all-star cast consisting of Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Russel Brand, Ron Funchess, Gwen Stefani, Zooey Deschanel, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse. Now before I get too carried away, let me tell you more about Dreamworks “Trolls.”

The common misconception when it comes to animated movies is that they’re only for kids and that adults and parents won’t be rewarded, that isn’t the case when it comes to “Trolls.” Because of the films astounding cast of characters, there are several different ways to laugh. For example, Poppy ( Anna Kendrick ) is overly optimistic, and that plays into the fact that Branch ( Justin Timberlake ) is the complete opposite. Throw in a little bit of comedic relief from Russel Brand ( Creek ) and James Corden ( Biggie ), and you’ve got yourself an hour and a half worth of laughs.

 

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“Trolls” is practically an animated scrapbook thanks to the fact that nearly everything in the film is textured with felt. The variety of color throughout the movie made the experience feel a bit therapeutic, especially when there was music involved, and by the end of it, I felt oddly optimistic about the rest of my day. I can’t emphasize just how lifting and motivating this film is, and I think it would be a very healthy viewing option, especially if you have kids.

The soundtrack for “Trolls” is one of the best I’ve ever seen out of Dreamwork’s recent projects. You might have heard Justin Timberlake’s latest hit “Can’t Stop The Feeling” play over the radio this Summer, that song was made just for the film along with a couple of other contributions from Ariana Grande, Gwen Stefani, and Icona Pop. Not to mention, there are classic songs included such as “Sound of Silence” and “Hello” by Lionel Richie. So there are definitely some references that adults will understand before the kids do. The soundtrack pops just like the colors do on the big screen. During the film, I was singing along with “Hello” by Lionel Richie– quietly.

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One thing that directors Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn pride themselves for in “Trolls” is that they didn’t restrict their cast in any way, and that’s something that was easily recognizable. Russel Brand’s sort’ve carefree humor is shown through his character, Creek, and type of humor you see on James Corden’s late night show is sprinkled in as well. Poppy, Anna Kendrick’s character, is exactly what I would imagine she would be if you told me that the protagonist is a pink and sassy princess with an excessive amount of optimism. The chemistry between everyone is as smooth and soft as the felt used to texturize the film itself.

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Dreamworks “Trolls” can be a movie for everyone. With the cast, characters, animation, humor, and music, I felt a bit spoiled after the credits rolled. No other movie will be as fun as “Trolls” this November, simply because it feels like a 120-minute party for your eyes. In addition to that, it reminds us all that with unity the world is a much more colorful place, and that we gain more being unified than at conflict, and that is what’s most important.

Until Next Time

JJ King

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Bad Moms | Interview With Kathryn Hahn and Mila Kunis About Motherhood

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Bad Moms will be counted as a funny, relatable, true-to life movie of the mom revolution. The summer movie is a comedy about moms who struggle to balance the perfect life, complete chaos and mommytime.  The movie is written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who also wrote the Hangover.  Lucas and Moore who are both fathers, looked to their wives lives when writing “Bad Moms”.  

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Amy has a seemingly perfect life – a great marriage, over-achieving kids, beautiful home and a career. However her over-worked and over-committed schedule has her on the verge of exhaustion to the point that she’s about to snap. Amy is fed up and joins forces with two other over-stressed moms on a quest to liberate themselves from conventional responsibilities.

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Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Jay Hernandez, Clark Duke, Annie Mumolo, Jada Pinkett Smith and Christina Applegate star in Bad Moms.    Mother’s everywhere will related to the comedy, bad mom moment experiences and life lessons.  Bad Moms takes the shame out of motherhood and put things in perspective for mothers nationwide.

Mila Kunis and Kathryn Hahn Bad Mom Moments

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Mila Kunis has only been a mom for 21 months and she already has several bad mom moments.  Her child was seven to eight months old and she was driving to visit my husband at work when she realized she forgot to buckle up her sons car seat. ” I put her in the car. Like, I high five myself. I’m driving down the 101. And I was like oh, my God, I’m doing really good today. And he was being really quiet, and I was like, oh, let me look in the rearview mirror to make sure everything’s okay. And I look, and she’s happy as can be, but just not nearly strapped in.”  She turned completely white, pulled up to her husband’s work and just burst out crying. She is not alone.

Kathryn Hahn has 2 children and thinks the movie has a great message of solidarity.  She feels like, so often moms and mommies in movies are kind of painted with like a saintly glow around them. “And we know that that’s just not the truth. And we’ve got so much more complexity than anyone could–so, I was so excited to just to see mommyhood examined from like the way that we all know it, or at least would love to experience,” she said.  When it comes to motherhood today,  it’s not the same culture where your mom comes over to help you babysit.  So, you depend on your pals or other amazing women that are going through it or have gone through it or can like–so, thank God. You can’t do it by yourself. And it takes a village.  We’re all in it together. We can’t just lessen those expectations, Kathryn Hahn adds.

Both ladies have had bad mom moments with their kids during diaper changes and in the car seat. We laughed hysterically as they shared their experiences.

 

Bad Moms Fun Facts

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  • The movie was filmed in New Orleans and set in Chicago.
  • The school exterior shots were filmed at Ursuline Academy in New Orleans, the oldest girls school still operational in the United States.
  • They squeezed in 200 people into a small living room to film the mom party scene for three days during torrential rainstorms in New Orleans.  Everything outside was flooded.
  • Christine Applegate’s (Gwendolynne) mother is played by her actual mother Nancy Priddy.
  • YouTube star Lilly Singh (iisuperwomanii) has a cameo.
  • No.  They did not drink alcohol in all the scenes. They drank a lot of juice.
  • Check back again next week for additional FUN facts.

 

Tickets and Trailer

Bad Moms comes to theaters July 29th. Whether you are a working mom, single mom, soccer mom, fed up mom, fit mom, rock star mom or a mom in search of perfection, we are all Bad Moms.  So  make sure to plan your Bad Moms Night out and give yourself the Mother’s Day you deserve. Your girlfriends will thank you for it. Get tickets now: http://www.badmomstickets.com/

For additional information visit the Official Website!

Cheers!

Bad Mom,

Eva Smith Tech Life Magazine

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The Jungle Book Movie Review And Fun Facts

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The long awaited Disney’s Jungle Book in 3D is here! The 3D experience will immerse you and your family into the jungle with live animals and high tech. It’s an experience the whole family will love. Unlike the original movie, the new movie is not a musical. The new version is a live-action technology packed epic adventure with personable animals that are larger than life.  The unique character qualities and personality pay homage to the original film and is a must see for all families!

The Jungle Book stars Neel Sethi as Mowgli, Bill Murray as Baloo, Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha, Idris Elba as Shere Kahn, Christopher Walken as King Louie and Giancarlo Esposito as Akela.  The film was directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Brigham Taylor.

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“The Jungle Book,” was published in 1894 and features a collection of tales of the Indian subcontinent, many of them featuring Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves. “The Second Jungle Book” followed in 1895, which was the basis for the immensely popular and endearing 1967 Walt Disney animated film.

Disney’s Cast Share The Jungle Movie Secrets

Disney’s 1967 animated film, “The Jungle Book,” was the last film that Walt Disney oversaw. He passed away in 1966, the year before the film’s release. Director Jon Favreau was inspired by more than the 1967 movie. “When I think about Disney’s legacy, I relate to Walt’s original dream,” he says. “Walt Disney’s work has influenced my work. He was considered high tech for the time. He was the first person who locked soundtrack with picture, so the characters were perfectly choreographed to the musical score—something that absolutely blew people’s minds. Disney was on the cutting edge of technology.”

Disney’s 2016 animated 3D film takes the best of animation and the best of live action to create life like characters with unique qualities, personalities and emotions which pay homage to the original film. Baloo introduces Mowgli to the fun aspects of the jungle. King Louis is a gigantic gorilla who is the King of the Jungle.  Kaa the snake is  a storyteller and Raksha the eternal mother and protector.  Akela is the Alpha wolf and Bagheera.

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12 FUN FACTS To Share

  • At full stretch, Baloo can reach nearly 15 feet high. The free-spirited bear is so heavy and sports so much fur, he took nearly five hours per frame to render.
  • Mother wolf Raksha is aptly named. In Hindi, Raksha means protector.
  • Artists at WETA took some creative license when it came to King Louie, borrowing a legendary character—Gigantopithecus—and exaggerating his size. King Louie stands 12 feet tall.
  • Mowgli sports a red loincloth in the film, but costume designer Laura Jean Shannon had her work cut out for her. “Mowgli’s immersed in water and mud, he gets rained on, he runs,” says Shannon. “We even rigged a hidden safety harness into the costume because Mowgli hangs on tree limbs and cliffs. Each of the loincloths—we ended up with 16 or 17—had a very specific purpose.” • Shannon built a “suit of armor” from the leaves of an alocasia tree (known as elephant ear plant). The garment showcased how the intelligent man-cub would protect himself from angry bees before collecting honey for Baloo.
  • The team at Moving Picture Company (MPC) were responsible for animating more than 70 species, crafting 100 million leaves and simulating earth, fire and water. A team of more than 800 computer graphics artists spent more than a year on the project.
  • Artists digitally built most of the jungle environment that appears in the film, creating moss, bark, rock, water, grass, trees, leaves that were all inspired by their real-life counterparts in India. The virtual environment makes up 80 percent of the film frame 100 percent of the time.
  • Filmmakers utilized motion capture technology to help them visualize the entire film prior to live-action production kicking off. The process involves special body suits adorned with dots that translate into the computer. Even director Jon Favreau suited up for select scenes. 2
  • One of the challenges filmmakers faced by pairing a liveaction Mowgli with computer-generated animal counterparts was that the CG creatures were unable to cast shadows on real-life Mowgli. Visual effects supervisor Rob Legato developed a system that allowed filmmakers to project light and shadows onto Mowgli that represent the creatures that are moving near him.
  • Mowgli deals with a lot of honey in “The Jungle Book.” The sweet stuff proved challenging for filmmakers, who wanted it to look authentic—yet still appealing. Color and viscosity had to be considered, as well as how to make the honeycomb it comes in.
  • The iconic song “The Bare Necessities,” written by Terry Gilkyson, was nominated for an Academy Award® in 1968.
  • Composer John Debney, who wrote the score for the new, liveaction film “The Jungle Book,” is the son of Louis Debney, who worked for Walt Disney. “When I was a youngster, they were making this incredible magical film called ‘The Jungle Book,’ and I was sort of a studio brat,” says Debney. “I got to know the young man Bruce Reitherman who played Mowgli. We would go on adventures around the world with his family.”
  • According to actor Ben Kinglsey, author Rudyard Kipling’s characters are part of being young in the U.K. “Before a boy in the U.K. joins the Boy Scouts, he joins the Cubs,” says Kingsley. “And our Cub Chief was always called Akela. In fact, all the Scouts’ names come from Kipling’s writings.”

THE JUNGLE BOOK opens in theatres everywhere in 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D on April 15th! For additional information visit the official THE JUNGLE BOOK  website.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Movie Reviews, Tech Tagged With: , , ,

What You Need To Know Before Watching The Jungle Book

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“The Jungle Book” is a live-action epic adventure about Mowgli, a man-cub raised by a family of wolves who is coming of age and trying to find his place in the world. Mowgli finds he is no longer welcome in the jungle when a fearsome tiger Shere Khan, who bears the scars of Man, promises to eliminate what he sees as a threat.   The Jungle is not a safe place for a kid.

The Jungle Book Cast, Technology  and Jon Favreau and Brigham Taylors dedication brought this movie to life.

 

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The Jungle Book Cast

The Jungle Book stars Neel Sethi as Mowgli, Bill Murray as Baloo, Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Lupita Nyong’o as Raksha, Idris Elba as Shere Kahn, Christopher Walken as King Louie. and Giancarlo Esposito as Akela.  The film was directed by Jon Favreau and produced by Brigham Taylor.

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Newcomer Neel Sethi

Newcomer Neel Sethi stars as the film’s only human character, Mowgli. Sethi was selected from thousands who auditioned as part of an extensive worldwide search. He read with several actors before being selected as Mowgli.

 

Technology and Innovation Brings The Jungle Book To Life

Filmmakers employed CGI technology  and real animal characters that artists stylized to tell the story in a contemporary and immersive way. “‘The Jungle Book’ is a universal coming-of-age story that everyone can relate to,” says producer Brigham Taylor. “Walt Disney told the story through traditional cell animation and we have the technology to bring these characters to life, make them photo-real and put a real kid into the environment in a seamless, believable way.”  Favreau’s adaption of  The Jungle Book uses CGI technology to tell the story the way that Kipling actually imagined it with a real kid in a real jungle living with actual performing animals that talk to him.  The Jungle Book also draws inspiration from the Disney animated classics, while retaining the gravitas and mythology inherent in Rudyard Kipling’s original stories.  Filmmakers decided to build an almost entirely digital jungle.  The animals each have their own unique emotional language and are made  larger than life to show the vulnerability of a child in the Jungle.

To create the iconic float-down-the-river scene, filmmakers built two tanks with jets and pumps. The larger tank had gigantic jets that created a current.  Each set had to be constructed with an eye for the digital characters who would be added to the scene and allows viewers to be immersed in the movie.

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The Jungle Book Made an Impression on Jon Favreau and Brigham Taylor

Jon Favreau and Brigham Taylor were very impressed with the characters of the Jungle Book.  According to Favreau, story is king.  “Every story needs humanity, emotion and 2 character development, as well as humor—presented in a way that doesn’t betray the stakes of the film. There are white-knuckle moments in the movie when you wonder, ‘what’s going to happen to this kid?’”  The bond between Mowgli and Baloo made a very strong impression Favreau.  According to Favreau, “The relationship between Baloo and Mowgli remineded him of his own relationship with his grandfather, who was a big part of his life.  “I really like that Mowgli is rambunctious, always getting into trouble. He isn’t the standard well-behaved kid, but a bit precocious—a ‘Dennis the Menace’ type. He isn’t intimidated by these big wild animals, in fact, he’s completely at home among them. He’s a tough kid but also very vulnerable emotionally, especially with Baloo”, said Favreau.

THE JUNGLE BOOK opens in theatres everywhere in 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D on April 15th! For additional information visit the official THE JUNGLE BOOK  website.

See you at the movies!

Eva Smith Tech Life Magazine

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What You Need to Know Before Watching #EddieTheEagle

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Eddie the Eagle is a feel-good story inspired by the true story of Michael “Eddie” Edwards an unlikely but courageous British skier who became the first competitor to represent Great Britain in Olympic ski jumping.   With the help of a rebellious and charismatic coach (played by Hugh Jackman), Eddie (Taron Egerton) takes on the ski-jumping establishment and wins the hearts of sports fans around the world.   The movie is Directed by Dexter Fletcher.

The original story, script and cast of characters is what makes this a powerful and authentic movie with life lessons for every member of the family.

Eddie The Eagle Director Interview – Dexter Fletcher

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Dexter Fletcher (Photo Credit: Eva Smith)

Although the script for Eddie the Eagle had been floating around for many years, the story behind how Dexter Fletcher was drawn to the movie is a moment of serendipity.

Dexter Fletcher grew up  in England knowing the story of Eddie from back in the day. “I’m old enough to remember when he was there”, recalls Dexter Fletcher.   “When I was growing up in England ambition and congratulating someone was not something people would do.  I think I must have been in my mid-20s or early 20s, and I was quite sort of mid-20s.  I thought I knew it all anyway, which of course I did, and he was just sort of a joke, in England particularly. We don’t do congratulating people. We don’t do it, sort of. Ambition is almost a dirty word in England. Oh, he’s very ambitious.  Although he was sort of celebrated certainly where he came from in his home town, which makes sense, the rest of the country was a bit like, oh, he’s a loser. And I suppose I was of that opinion as well. I didn’t really take much interest at that time.”

The script for Eddie the Eagle had been floating around for about 15 years.   Dexter read the script and saw an interview of Eddie on a reality television program named Splash about five years ago and he had an epiphany.  “Eddie was 25 years older than everyone on the show and did very well in the show because he approached it in this real Olympian kind of way”, recalls Dexter.  “He was brilliant at it.  He absolutely won it. I was like this guy’s amazing. He’s my age, and he’s got the right idea. He’s got the right attitude. He really goes for it, and he was great at it, and really humble.”, said Dexter.   He really admired Eddie after that show and wanted to know who this guy was.  “And then of course, there’s a story behind that young buffoon, as we understood him to be. But, he’s not that. He was a dedicated, determined young man who sacrificed a lot to achieve something that he’d always dreamed of.  And I was like that’s really good. That’s good. Why not tell that story?”,  recalls Dexter.

Director Dexter Fletcher did a wonderful and authentic job in directing the cast of Eddie the Eagle.   He attributes the authenticity to the cast.  “The more I spoke to Taron, I understood that he wanted to create something far away from Kingsman. And it’s a really kind of sensitive, human performance. It’s a very different kind of film. And so, I had seen him there and was very impressed by that and then started working with him and talking to him. And then, we did this screen test with Hugh, and what Taron has is this amazing ability to turn very quickly emotionally and because his eyes are the way they are, you’re kind of engaged with that. And it’s a real  mercurial kind of quality, which is nothing more than a bit of magic in a film.”, said Fletcher.

It’s nice if you’re telling a story like Eddie to have that sort of magic in there, that allows you to go–because there’s a dreamy kind of aspirational quality about it. – Director, Dexter Fletcher

“And the other thing about it is for me the family’s important. The mother and the father, those relationships are important. I like those stories. The mum wants to back him, but can’t show that in front of dad. For me, that’s quite a funny dynamic, you know? And dad’s kind of scared for him.   Don’t go out in the world. Don’t do anything above what you think you can because you’ll only get hurt.”, recalls Dexter.   “But, the reality is, that dad’s just scared for him, and mum’s really backing him. And they’ve  got that dynamic going on. “, said Dexter.

“There’s nothing wrong with not letting go of that dream or that drive or that thing that inspired you when you were young.”  Dexter Fletcher said to me. “You can apply that to so many different things. That’s what’s lovely about Eddie’s story, is that he’s inspired, and he does keep moving forward. And you can apply that to so many different aspects of your life.”

Eddie The Eagle – Hugh Jackman Interview

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Hugh Jackman (Photo Credit: Eva Smith )

Hugh Jackman always loved the story of Eddie the Eagle.  “I always loved the story.   I was 19 I think when Eddie jumped and in Australia we were captured by this guy.”, he recalls. ” He became a folk hero in Australia and I think this same reason I loved him there is why I love this movie. It taps into everybody’s desire to find the thing they love, to overcome whatever obstacles they are going to overcome to do it and as a parent now, I watch that movie and I am so thrilled my kids are seeing a movie that finally says you don’t actually have to win to be a winner. You have to give with your heart, you have to give it all you got, and you got to love it.”, said Hugh Jackman.

“I watched this with my 15 year-old and my 10 year-old and I’m praying these messages are sinking in. Like “Don’t worry what other people think of you, just do the thing you love, just keep going and keep that positive attitude for live, don’t necessarily focus on the result or winning, just keep trying.” – Hugh Jackman

Eddie The Eagle – Taron Egerton Interview

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Taron Egerton (Photo Credit: Eva Smith)

In Eddie the Eagle, Taron Egerton plays an average Joe,  which is completely different from other roles such as from Kingsman.   “It was hard to find a reason not to do this movie. It presented a challenge in terms of the acting and I was a huge fan of Dexter [Fletcher], our director. His movies are brilliant. Matthew Vaughn [producer] who I did Kingsman with.

“It always felt very easy stepping into his shoes. It was in the script that he was a kind of, so kind of likeable on the page that it was someone that kind of, I just really wanted to connect with him and bring to life. It was inspiring reading the script”, recalls Taron.  He also got to meet the real life Eddie on the set.

 

My mother is in the whole. My mother did, and my father, they have always, I mean, not to get soppy, my parents have always done everything for me. Everything that is good in me is my mother. She is an incredible, incredible, incredible force of nature, brilliant support.  – Taron Egerton

Crazy stuntmen In Eddie The Eagle Movie

There is a lot of action on the slopes, especially the skiers.  “There were some crazy German stuntmen who–because we filmed in Germany. And we had this amazing second unit director, who is a guy called Vic Armstrong, and he was a stuntman in the ’80s on films like Raiders of the Lost Ark. When you see Raiders of the Lost Ark, and there’s a big boulder chasing Harrison Ford, this is Vic Armstrong, or when you see a guy going underneath a truck on a whip, his name is Vic Armstrong. He came and did all our stunts”, recalls Dexter.

“He put together this team of German guys, all a bit crazy. They’re all a bit bonkers, you know? “Oh, yes, we’ll do it.” And they all just jumped off of this thing. I mean we were filming another bit where we could see them down, and they just kept jumping off and falling over.  He came back with 90 hours of footage for me because he had lots of different cameras. And that was just on the 40-meter jump.”, said Dexter.

“We also had these two young jumpers, who were Romanian actually. And what we did, we strapped a camera to their back, and one guy went down the in-run, as it’s called. And another guy went after him with a camera.”

“But, because the guy who went down first was going very fast, the ice slightly heats up underneath his skis. So, the guy behind him starts going faster. So, they take off, and the guy behind is going faster. And he flies over his head. As they fly through the air, we got it all on film, and clips him on the shoulder with his ski, and then lands before him, and the other guy lands behind him. Like I said, part of it’s in the film.” recalls Dexter.

Movie Trailer

 

Filed Under: Entertainment, Movie Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Alvin And The Chipmunks – Road Chip Movie Review

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Alvin and The Chipmunk – Road Chip, the fourth movie in the series of live action CG movies bring together Dave, Alvin and the Chipmunks, the Chipettes and a trip to Miami.   Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is going to propose to his new girlfriend in Miami and dump them. They have three days to get to him and stop the proposal, saving themselves not only from losing Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.   Along the way they confront obstacles and an infamous air marshall.  The movie is in theaters December 18!

The movie cast includes   Jason Lee as Dave,  Justin Long as voice of Alvin, Matthew Gray Gubler as voice of Simon, Jesse McCartney as voice of Theodore,  Tony Hale as Agent Sugg, Bella Thorne as Ashley Grey, Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Samantha, Josh Green as Miles, , Kaley Cuoco as voice of Eleanor, Anna Faris  as Jeanette and Christina Applegate as voice of Brittany and Stefan Kendal Gordy as RedFoo.   The movie is directed by Walt Beck.

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Alvin And The Chipmunks – Road Chip Movie Review

Alvin and the Chipmunks – Road Trip is a fun, music filled movie with lovable and endearing characters.  It is a great movie for  familes.  No matter what age you are you will walk away from the movie with positive lessons and catchy songs in your heart.   The movie is full of trendy music and dance routines which guarantees to have you dancing during and after the movie.   The relationship between Dave, Alvin and the Chipmunks, live action and trendy music  such as “Juicy Wiggle” by Redfoo, Iko Iko, Uptown Funk are a winning formula for this series.

 

Movie Trailer

For additional information follow Alvin and the Chipmunks – Road Chip movie  on Twitter ,Facebook  or on the Alvin Movie Official Website .

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