Movie News: Epic

Looking for a little adventure this weekend? Or should I say, a little adventure that turns into a really big one?

Epic is a new movie based on the book The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs. It’s about a girl named Mary Katherine who is magically transported to a small, secret universe in the forest where a battle between good and evil is being fought. Before she has time to make sense of her tiny new size, Mary Katherine is flung into the battle. And she finds herself fighting alongside a group of warriors known as the Leafmen to save their world — and ours.

I got a chance to see this new movie last week, and here’s what I thought!

1. The animation is awesome. It’s one of the best-looking flicks I’ve seen in awhile! Check out the trailer below to see what I mean.

2. It’s funny. Mostly thanks to the movie’s main stars (in my opinion): Grub and Mub. The loveable snail and slug pals had me laughing pretty much non-stop.

3. It’s full of magic, wonder, and adventure. It better be with a title like “Epic”, right? And while it may not actually be the most epic movie you’ve ever seen, it’s still got all the fixings to make it a favourite.

Epic hits theatres today. If you go see it, come back to tell us what you think!

-Kendra, owlblog@owlkids.com

Movie News: Jurassic Park 3D

It’s a big day, blog readers. Why? Because one of my all-time favourite movies is being re-released in theatres today! That’s right, Jurassic Park is hitting theatres again. But this time, it’s in 3D.

Just in case you’re not familiar with the movie (since it was first released 20 years ago), it’s about a billionaire who opens a theme park on a tropical island. But not just any theme park. The main attraction at Jurassic Park? Dinosaurs! Real dinosaurs that have been brought back from extinction by cloning technology and super-smart scientists. Awesome, right? Totally… until the power goes down in the park and the people are trapped inside with the dinosaurs running loose.

So, should you go see this movie? If you love dinosaurs and action-packed flicks, then I definitely think this is one to watch. However, there are some scary scenes, so if that’s not your thing, you might want to skip it.

You also don’t need to see it in 3D. Seeing it on the big screen is fun, but the 3D effect only added to some of the scenes. I think the movie is just as good without it. And by good, I mean awesome.

Check out the trailer:

Jurrasic Park 3D is in theatres today. If you go see it, or if you’ve already seen it, let us know what you think!

-Kendra, owlblog@owlkids.com

Movie News: Oz The Great and Powerful

Editor’s note: our awesome editorial assistant, Ashley, is back with another movie review for today’s blog post. Enjoy!

We’re off to meet the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz!

Oz The Great and Powerful tells the story of the mystical wizard who arrived in the land of Oz by hot air balloon. Okay, so he isn’t all that mystical. And to call him a wizard wouldn’t exactly be correct. But the hot air balloon part is true! Once landing in Oz, the wizard (also named Oz) meets Theodora, a witch who takes him to the Emerald City. And unlike Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, he doesn’t need to journey that far before encountering evil witches and amazing adventures.

Here are three things I noticed about the movie:

1. Trouble, twists, and turns, oh my! And I’m not talking about the Yellow Brick Road. This movie has so many surprises. It will keep you guessing until the end.

2. There’s no place like Oz. Seriously. It is a magical place where flowers are made of gems, water fairies like to pull pranks, people float in bubbles, and anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Director Sam Raimi and his team did a fantastic job with the special effects. I would want to live in Oz, minus the wicked witches and scary flying monkeys. Speaking of which…

3. Ask the Wizard for some courage! Much like the Cowardly Lion, you may need some courage to watch this movie. The wicked witches and flying monkeys are pretty scary, especially in 3D. It is a battle between good and evil. And it’s an intense battle, for sure.

I really enjoyed watching this movie. And if you have the courage to take on wicked witches and flying monkeys, then I think you will like it, too!

Here’s the trailer:

Oz The Great and Powerful in 3D is in theatres today. Who’s going to see it this weekend?

-Ashley, owlblog@owlkids.com

MOVIE NEWS: ParaNorman

Hey, blog readers! As promised on Wednesday, OWL Assistant Editor, Kendra Brown, is back to tell us about the movie, ParaNorman. Take it away, Kendra!

Ghosts and zombies and witches… oh my! It may not be Halloween yet, but it actually feels like it here at OWL since since we’ve been working away on the October issue already (hint: it’s awesome). So, it was the perfect time for me to go see a creepy and cool movie like ParaNorman.

Norman Babcock is a boy that can see and talk to ghosts. No one in his hometown of Blithe Hollow believes him, though. But when an ancient witch’s curse threatens the small town, Norman may be the only one who can save everyone since he can communicate with the dead. With ghosts, ghouls, and zombies on the attack, can Norman go from “Abnorman” the outcast to hometown hero?

Here are two things you need to know about this movie:

1. It’s gloriously gruesome. There are zombies with rotting limbs, a ghost in a toilet, and plenty of other gross, gory stuff in this movie. And it’s all in 3-D stop-motion animation. The detail is amazing. Which is why, rather than just being completely freaked out, I found myself fascinated by how cool the movie looked.

2. It’s frightfully funny. This movie may gross you out, but I guarantee it will also make you giggle. There are so many funny scenes that had almost everyone in the theatre cracking up. One of the most hilarious scenes involves a man, a snack dispensing machine, a bag of potato chips, and a zombie. And that’s all I’ll say for now.

Overall, I liked this movie a lot. And if you’re a fan of Tim Burton or the movie Coraline, I think you’ll like it a lot, too. Normally, I’m not into zombies or gross stuff, but the humour and awesome animation in this movie definitely won me over. And, actually, so did Norman. He’s a pretty cool dude.

But just a warning: even though most of the frights in this movie are fun, there are some more intense scary scenes, which may be not be for everyone. In which case, you may want to skip this flick. (You can always go see The Odd Life of Timothy Green instead!)

So, who’s going to see this movie?

-Kendra, owlblog@owlkids.com

MOVIE NEWS: The Odd Life of Timothy Green

OWL Assistant Editor, Kendra Brown, is back with another movie review. Let’s hear what she has to say about The Odd Life of Timothy Green!

It’s been a summer full of superheroes, aliens, prehistoric pals, and wimpy kids. And now? A boy who grows out of the ground with leaves on his legs in The Odd Life of Timothy Green!

One stormy night in Stanleyville, Cindy and Jim Green dream up what their ideal child would be like. Writing down personality traits, including honest, artistic and musical, on pieces of paper, they place them all in a box and then bury it in their garden. Later that night, after a mysterious wind blows through their backyard, the couple wake up to find a real boy named Timothy on their doorstep. One of the first things Cindy and Jim notice about Timothy are the leaves growing on his ankles. But soon, Cindy and Jim, along with the entire town of Stanleyville, start to realize that’s not the only special thing about this boy.

Here are three thoughts about this movie:

1. It’s unique. The premise of the movie is definitely different. I mean, a boy who magically sprouts from the ground with leaves growing on his legs? There are lots of little touches throughout the movie that make it unique, and even magical, like Timothy’s special friendship with a girl named Joni. One of my favourite scenes is when Cindy follows Joni to find out what she and Timothy are up to. What she discovers is pretty amazing.

2. It’s touching. Timothy and Joni’s friendship isn’t the only part of the movie that will warm your heart. In fact, there are so many touching parts of the movie that you may want to keep a tissue handy (you know I did). Some of the scenes may be a bit too sappy for some, but you’ll probably still be rooting for Timothy during one particular soccer game.

3. It may not be for you. Especially if you’re more into action, adventure, or comedy. This movie has some fun and funny moments, for sure, but it also has plenty of emotional scenes and life lessons. I think it’s a good one to go see with the family.

Overall, I enjoyed this movie. I just wish it had less tears and more laughs because, well, I love to laugh!

The Odd Life of Timothy Green opens in theatres today. Do you think you and your family will go see it?

Kendra will be back on Friday to tell us about another new movie, ParaNorman, which hits theatres this weekend, so make sure you come back to read that review, too!

-Kim, owlblog@owlkids.com