Trolls: World Tour Blu-ray Review & Giveaway


Queen Poppy (Anna Kendrick), Branch (Justin Timberlake), and the rest of your favorite Trolls are back for another musical adventure that’s bigger—and louder—than ever before! In TROLLS WORLD TOUR, Poppy and Branch discover that their kingdom is only one of six musical realms—Funk, Country, Techno, Classical, Pop, and Rock—that were once united in perfect harmony. When the power-hungry ruler of the Rocker Trolls threatens to silence all other music so her tribe can reign supreme, Poppy and Branch must embark on an epic quest to unite the realms of Trollskind, before the songs in their hearts are lost forever! The film is currently available for early viewing on a wide variety of popular on-demand services as a premium rental offering.


MY REVIEW
Queen Poppy, Branch and the rest of our favorite Trolls are back at it again for another great adventure filled with lots of new catchy songs and new colorful characters to love! My five year old and I were so excited when we received a copy of Trolls World Tour on blu-ray. We both absolutely loved the first movie and were so excited to see the movie in theatres when we first saw the trailer for Trolls World Tour earlier this year. As we all know, due to COVID-19, movie theatres were shut down, so Trolls World Tour became available to us to rent on demand. 

I have to say I was very impressed with not just the new storyline for our favorite Trolls, but the way it's told is so relatble to what's going on in the world right now and I believe would be a great movie to introduce kids to celebrating how unique and different everyone is. When we open up to the movie we see Queen Poppy being happy and excited, like always, ready to start her day being the Queen of her kingdom. When she receives an invitation from an unknown troll, Queen Barb, letting her know that Rock Trolls should be the main music for all trolls. Poppy is then told the story from her dad, King Peppy, that their kingdom isn't the only one of its kind, that there are six musical realms of other genre's of musical trolls. 

With this news, Poppy decides to make her way to visit the other kingdom before Queen Barb does to warn them of what she wants to do, but she's also Poppy, and very optimistic about what Queen Barb's true intentions are. What Poppy doesn't know and what Branch tries to warn her of, is to be careful of strangers. Throughout their mission to warn other kingdoms, they are introduced to so many different trolls along the way and what they try to make Queen Barb realize is that being different and unique is what makes us all special. Why not celebrate our differences and still love one another and be happy. 


I have to say I was very impressed with this movie. From the storyline, the amazing new colorful characters we were introduced to, to the catchy songs, my family and I absoultely loved this movie and I promise if you loved the first one, you'll love this sequel as well. 

Join Poppy, Branch, and the rest of the Trolls in the all-new Dance Party Edition exclusively on Digital June 23, 2020 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-Ray™, and DVD July 7, 2020 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

The Dance Party Edition includes an interactive dance party mode where viewers are introduced to dance moves to learn while they watch the film, lyrics to sing along, and surprises featuring their favorite characters! This special Dance Party Edition includes bonus content, such as an exclusive original short film starring the unforgettable Tiny Diamond, deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes exclusives with the power-house musical cast of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, George Clinton and many more. This fun and entertaining family film is the must-own movie of the summer.

GIVEAWAY!
Thanks to our friends at Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, we're giving away a copy of Trolls World Tour (Dance Party Edition) on blu-ray to one of our lovely readers. Open to both US and CANADA, to enter, comment below sharing yours or your child's favorite character from Trolls! 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Trolls World Tour at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 

Celebrating 20 Years of Gladiator (4K Blu-ray Steelbook Anniversary Review)


Originally released in May of 2000, director Ridley Scott’s GLADIATOR celebrates its 20th anniversary. Also a winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, the film is an unparalleled combination of vivid action and extraordinary storytelling. Russell Crowe won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his portrayal of a Roman general who is betrayed by a corrupt prince (Joaquin Phoenix) and comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge. The 4K Steelbook includes access to a digital copy of the film and both theatrical and extended versions of the feature on 4K Ultra HD, along with two separate commentaries. The two Blu-ray Discs included in the set boast over four hours of previously released bonus content, including commentaries on both versions of the film, a comprehensive documentary about the making of the movie, featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.

MY REVIEW
I can't believe it's been 20 years since I first saw Russll Crowe on screen portraying the strong, skillful and handsome, gladiator, Maximus. This was a film I remember so well and another film that was played in our house very often as my dad was and still is a fan of action/war/battle movies. 

A man robbed of his name and his dignity strives to win them back, and gain the freedom of his people, in this epic historical drama. In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences. His battle skills serve him well, and he becomes one of the most famous and admired men to fight in the Colosseum. Determined to avenge himself against the man who took away his freedom and laid waste to his family, Maximus believes that he can use his fame and skill in the ring to avenge the loss of his family and former glory. As the gladiator begins to challenge his rule, Commodus decides to put his own fighting mettle to the test by squaring off with Maximus in a battle to the death.

One of the biggest memories I have when I was a teen and watching Gladiator for the first time, I remember watching Maximus rush to return home to find his family, wife and son, murdered and his town burned to the ground. I remember crying when I saw Maximus finding his wife and son and how he broke down. That was such an emotional scene. Tears filled my eyes then as they did recently when the husband and I watched the movie for the first time in over 10 years. I remember being a  teen and being so invested in watching Maximus fight his way back to face Commodus and when we finally see them reunite, the expression on everyone's face when they realized Maximus is still alive and was the gladiator to beat, is priceless. Throughout the movie we see Maximus at his strongest and weakest and when the fight is finally over, we see him getting to reunite with his loved ones.

Celebrating Gladiator's 20th anniversary this month, now available for purchase, you can add this steelbook copy to your movie collection as well. For more information about Gladiator, be sure to head over to Paramount Pictures Canada.

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Gladiator at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 

Celebrating 25 Years of Braveheart (4K Blu-ray Steelbook Anniversary Review)


Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2020, BRAVEHEART won five Academy Awards®, including Best Picture. The richly detailed saga of power, passion, and the fight for freedom stars Mel Gibson (who also took home the Oscar® for Best Director) as William Wallace, a bold Scotsman who rallies his countrymen to liberation from oppressive English rule. The 4K Steelbook includes access to a digital copy of the film and previously released commentary by Mel Gibson on both the 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray presentations, along with more than two hours of previously released bonus content, including interactive timelines, a making-of documentary, multiple behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more.


MY REVIEW

"Tell our enemies that they may take our lives, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM! "

One of the most famous quotes in movie history, June 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the movie Braveheart! Braveheart is the 1995 film that stars Mel Gibson, who plays plays William Wallace, a Scotsman who leads a revolt against the British during the 13th century.

I remember being a teen and watching this movie with my family and it brings back so many memories as this was a movie my dad would watch often. Not only did my dad love the movie, but I married a guy that loved it too. So when we received the steelbook anniversary movie of Braveheart, earlier this month, my husband was pretty pumped to watch the movie on 4k as the picture quality would be even better than before.

I hadn't watched Braveheart in years, so watching it again after not seeing it for so long, I rememberd the plot of the movie, but not every detail. I forgot how much blood and gore are in the battle scenes and how intense they are. If your family has never seen Braveheart before, be prepared because it gets bloody and you see lots of characters die. There are also a few scenes that will make you uncomfortable as rape was a form of oppression to women and is shown in this movie as well as a bit of nudity. 

Overall, this is a great movie to watch and the actors did a fantastic job bringing this story to life. As of June 16, 2020, you can now grab your own steelbook anniversary copy of Braveheart. For more infromation on the 25th steelbook anniversary copy of Braveheart, be sure to head over to

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Braveheart at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. 

Be Amazing by Desmond Is Amazing (Book Review)


Title: Be Amazing
By: Desmond Is Amazing & Pictures by: Dylan Glynn
Publisher: Farrar Straus & Giroux
Publication Date: July 21, 2020
ISBN: 9780374312589
Pages: 40


In Be Amazing , drag kid Desmond is Amazing walks you through the history of the LGBTQ community, all while encouraging you to embrace your own uniqueness and ignore the haters.

Desmond is amazing - and you are, too.

Throughout history, courageous people like Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and RuPaul have paved the way for a safer, more inclusive society for LGBTQ individuals, and it's thanks to them that people just like Desmond can be free to be who they really are.


MY REVIEW
Hi friends! It's been a while since our last post. With the pandemic of Covid-19 and with what's been happening since the murder of George Floyd, we decided to take a few weeks off and to not post while also educating ourselves about systemic racism. During our time off, we did receive a package from our wonderful friends over at Raincoast Books and in that package was a beautifully written and illustrated book called Be Amazing by Desmond is Amazing in honor of celebrating Pride this month of June.

As a parent with a child in the LGBTQ+ community,  I'm always looking for new books that can not only help educate myself, but also have these books in our home library so that my kids and other family and friends can come and read books about LGBTQ+ whenever they want. 

Be Amazing is a wonderful book written by twelve year old drag kid, Desmond is Amazing and is beautifully illustrated by Dylan Glynn. In the story we are introduced to Desmond and are told his story of being his drag persona, Desmond Is Amazing. Not only does he share with us about his experiences, but he also goes through the history of the LGBTQ+ community, including The Stonewall Riots back in June 28, 1969. 

Along with sharing about the LGBTQ+ history, Desmond also shares stories of some of the heroes in the LGBTQ+ community that includes, Marsha P. Johnson, an African American drag artist, model and LGBTQ+ activist, Sylvia Rivera, a Latin American transgender activist and RuPaul, a drag artist, actor, singer, model and host of the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. 

This book is filled with lots of information about the history, heroes and activist in the LGBTQ+ community and about being true to yourself and "Pay the haters no mind, they'll never be as fierce as you and I." 

I encourage you all to pre-order this book and I hope one day I can see this in school libraries, I know how much this put a smile on my face and how much myself and kids learned from it, I can just imagine what it can do for a young kid who is feeling alone or out of place or for kids who just want to learn a bit about LGBTQ+ history. 

Be Amazing will be availabe for purchase July 21, 2020. For more information about Be Amazing, be sure to head over to Raincoast Books. Happy Pride Month! 

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Be Amazing at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.