Decorate your Easter Eggs LEGO® STAR WARS® Style!


Ask Yoda-bunny for The Empire Strikes OutTM
Available on DVD March 26th
 
 Easter is just around the corner, so we thought we would help out Star Wars fans by providing you with a guide to how you can decorate your own LEGO Star Wars-inspired Easter eggs. With our step-by-step guide you will be able to re-create all your favorite LEGO Star Wars characters including Yoda, Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker.

STEP #1 Hard boil your eggs
To save a lot of mess and wasted time make sure you hard boil your eggs before decorating them.

STEP #2 Choose your characters
There are plenty of Star Wars characters to choose from, favourites of ours include Yoda, C-3PO, Darth Vader, R2-D2 and Darth Maul.

STEP #3 Prepare your paint and colors
To decorate your LEGO Star Wars inspired eggs it is best use either poster or acrylic paint and to use the right colors for each character. Here is a helpful color guide for you:

Darth Maul: black, red, white                     
  Yoda: green                              
   Darth VADAR: black, grey
Stormtrooper: white, black                    
      C-3PO: yellow, gold, white          
   R2-D2: blue, white, black

STEP #4 Prepare your brushes
Eggs are pretty small so it is best to use very small brushes for your eggs. For the really detailed ones like R2-D2 a felt-tip pen is advised.

STEP #5 Use a pencil first
Some of you more experienced decorators may want to dive straight in but if you are unsure of your artistic ability then use a pencil to trace where your paint will go before you begin with the brush.

STEP #6 Start decorating – take your time
You are now ready to get going. Don’t rush straight in, take your time and make sure that each colour is dry before you add any extra details

STEP #7 Coat your egg with glue
To protect the paint and give a cool shine to your egg you can coat your themed Easter egg with PVC glue.

STEP #8 Don’t stop at one
So you’ve now got a kick-ass LEGO Star Wars inspired Easter egg character, but why stop there? Don’t let your character get lonely, make a whole bunch and begin re-creating your favorite scenes.

STEP #9 Make your eggs 3D
To make your LEGO Star Wars inspired Easter eggs even better why not add extras to each character. Maybe you could add some cotton wool to make Yoda’s white hair, or some colored Play-Doh as Darth Maul’s horns.

STEP #10 Show off your LEGO Star Wars-inspired Easter eggs
You now have an awesome set of LEGO Star Wars inspired Easter eggs to show-off to all your friends. If you want you can even share this guide with them as well, so you can compare your LEGO Star Wars-inspired creations.

New Music Video ~ "Crave" by King & Country

 The series finale of THE BIBLE on History Channel this Sunday, March 31st, and the Blu-ray and DVD release on April 2nd! To get you excited for the finale and upcoming home entertainment release, we have a new music video from for KING & COUNTRY!

This brand new music video previews this Sunday's series finale of THE BIBLE with for KING & COUNTRY performing "Crave" from their album of the same name!

THE BIBLE is an epic 10-hour television series produced by Roma Downey (Touched By an Angel) and Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Celebrity Apprentice), available on Blu-ray, DVD and DHD on April 2nd. Downey plays Mother Mary and Emmy-winner Keith David provides voice-overs throughout. Oscar- and Grammy-award winning composer Hans Zimmer created the musical score to the iconic saga.


For more information on THE BIBLE, check out the Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/BibleSeries and Twitter @bibleseries.

The Bible ~~GIVEAWAY~~

Profile: Mark Burnett and Roma Downey
 Inspired by The Bible
Coming to Blu-ray, DVD & DHD April 2nd

In 1994, Roma Downey charmed audiences as Monica, the angel with a lot to learn, on CBS’s Touched by an Angel, and now, she is producing and starring in The Bible. Her husband, Mark Burnett, has made a name for himself as a successful television producer. Here, we will examine this creative duo’s career path and the different projects they are both involved with.

From Executive Producers Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor) and Roma Downey (Touched by an Angel) comes The Bible — an epic 10-hour miniseries, coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD April 2 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Breathtaking in scope and scale, THE BIBLE features powerful performances, exotic locales and dazzling visual effects that breathe spectacular life into the dramatic tales of faith and courage from Genesis through Revelation.

ROMA DOWNEY
Touched by an Angel
Roma’s best-known role was in Touched by an Angel. In the series that ran from 1994-2003 audiences got to know Monica, Tess, and Andrew, a trio of angels sent to earth to tell depressed and troubled people that God loves them and God hasn't forgotten them.

The Division
Roma’s next notable role was in The Division, in which she starred in three episodes as Reagan Gilancy. The Division ran from 2001-2004 and followed five female cops in San Francisco as they struggled with their personal and professional lives.

Funky Monkey
Throughout her acting career Downey also executive produced TV movies such as Breach of Trust, Second Honeymoon and The Survivor’s Club. Downey’s last work as an executive producer before The Bible was in 2004 when she worked on Funky Monkey.

MARK BURNETT
Survivor
Burnett made his producing name with Survivor, a reality show where a group of contestants are stranded in a remote location with little more than the clothes on their back. The lone survivor of this contest takes home a million dollars.

Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?
Burnett’s career as a producer ramped up after 2007 when he began working on Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Burnett executive produced 70 episodes of the quiz show, which ran until 2010 and featured adult contestants and questions directly from the textbooks of first through fifth graders.

The Voice
In 2011-2012 Burnett executive produced 16 episodes of the series The Voice. In this show, four famous musicians including Adam Levine and Christina Aguilera search for the best voices in America and mentor these singers to become artists. America decides which singer is worthy of the grand prize.

MARK BURNETT AND ROMA DOWNEY
The Bible
Downey and Burnett finally came together to produce The Bible. This 10-hour, five-part, mini-series will tell some of the best-known stories from one of the most popular book in human history, from Noah's Ark and the Exodus to Daniel in the Lion's Den to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. This will be the first time they have produced together and the first time that Burnett has produced a series in which Downey stars.

A Good Day to Die Hard coming June 4th, 2013


BRUCE WILLIS RETURNS FOR THE FIFTH INSTALLMENT OF THE
LEGENDARY ACTION FRANCHISE
Featuring An Extended Edition with More than Two Hours of Explosive Extras, the Heart Pounding Thriller Arrives Just in Time for Father’s Day

Arriving on Digital HD™ on May 14 and Blu-ray and DVD June 4

LOS ANGELES, CA. (March 26, 2013) – Yippee Ki Yay, John McClane is back, this time with his son and twice the excitement. Keeping audiences on the edge of their seats for 25 years, the latest chapter of the popular action franchise delivers the thrills and the ultimate father-son action duo as A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD debuts on Digital HD on May 14 and on Blu-ray and DVD June 4 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Featuring a double dose of McClane power, the film will also be available as an “Extended Edition” with over two hours of extreme bonus material just in time for Father’s Day.

Bruce Willis is back in action — mind-blowing, heart-stopping, rip-roaring action — as John McClane, the heroic New York cop with a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time. John’s latest predicament takes him all the way to Russia to track down his estranged son, Jack (Jai Courtney), who has been imprisoned in Moscow. But the mission takes a deadly turn as father and son must join forces to thwart a nuclear weapons heist that could trigger World War III!

Twenty-five years after the classic thriller Die Hard was released, A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD takes the action to a whole new level with the 2-disc Blu-ray Extended Edition featuring over two hours of intense extras. Between the Anatomy of a Car Chase, an hour long behind-the-scenes documentary that looks at the making of the movie, commentary with the Director and deleted scenes, the Blu-ray proves that two McClanes are better than one.

A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD 2-Disc BD/Ultraviolet/DVD & DC
  Disc 1: Blu-ray
  Extended Cut of the Film
  Deleted Scenes
  Jack Scopes Out Courthouse
  Collins Gets Approval to Move
  John McClane Original Introduction
  Russian Girls on Plane
  Safe House Intrusion
  Gun Store
  Fight with Anton
  Making it Hard to Die
  Introduction
  Stunts
  Helicopters and Aerial
  Special Effects
  Motion Base
  Armoury
  Russia and Budapest
  The Look of the Movie
  Chernobyl
  Camera Work
  Editorial Los Angeles
  Color Grading
  Visual Effects
  Film Scoring
  Wrap Up
  Anatomy of a Car Chase
  Two of a Kind
  Back in Action
  The New Face of Evil
  Pre-vis
  Cold Opening
  Cold Opening
  Truck Chase
  VFX Sequences
  Stills: Gallery
  Storyboards
  Concept Art
  Theatrical trailers
  Commentary by Director John Moore and First Assistant Director Mark Cotone
  Maximum McClane
  Disc 2: DVD & Digital Copy (Film only)

Parental Guidance

 
Synopsis: 
 Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei prove that laughter is relative in this hilarious comedy that’s fun for the whole family! Old-school grandparents Artie (Crystal) and Diane (Midler) get more than they bargained for when they get stuck babysitting their type-A daughter’s (Tomei) overprotected kids. But things go from hectic to hysterical when Artie realizes the kids are running the house with their newfangled technology. By playing by his own rules, which include sugary snacks, old fashioned games and tough love, Artie manages to outsmart the kids and achieve the impossible- bring the family closer together!

MY REVIEW:
Have you ever watched something on TV that you could completely relate to? Me too.  And this was one of those things.  I am completely the mom in this movie.  Don't trust anyone to take care of my children, I find it very hard to leave them alone with anyone, even my parents.  And let me tell you, now that my daughter is 12.5 it makes for some stressful events.  EEK!!
I literally laughed out loud numerous times throughout this movie, and I really didn't think I would.  I am definitely one to pass judgement on movies based on their actors, rating, cover, clips I've seen on TV.  And this was another one that was "my husband's type"...or was it?  How surprised was I that I could relate to this movie as much as I did. If you have ever felt you were too over-protective of your children, that only you can raise them "right", then you need to grab a copy of this movie, you will see just how silly that way of thinking is.  Although no one will raise your children the way you do, you are not the only one who is able make it so they survive a week of life.  
I loved the choice of actors for this movie, Bette Midler has always gotten into her roles wonderfully and funny, holy is that lady funny.  All she wanted was to not be "the other grandparents" any longer but her wonderful husband "Farty" had a different agenda and kept messing it up for her.  Selfishly caring about getting his own life back on track after being laid off, this week was all about getting a new career started, but at what cost?  I don't know about all of you but if my child were peeing on national TV at a skateboard event I would fly home too, and be very angry.  My favorite part was of course the ending, which I won't give away.  You all know me, I like to relate to the movies, tell my stories and give a little detail of the movie, I don't want to tell everything that happens, that's no fun!  My daughter does that, annoying!!  Well, I guess it's that time when I suggest that if you want to watch a laugh out loud comedy then you head on out and grab this one.  I will definitely be watching it more times than I have already.  I loved it, and like I said, it's nice to see I'm not the only crazy mom in the world.  Now if only I could get that talking house....hmmm.

Well, Until next time, enjoy your days, nights too!!

I give this movie 4 out of 4 thumbs up!!

  ~~I received the movie mentioned above for free for my written review of my honest opinion. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers~~

The Great Escape coming May 7th, 2013


CELEBRATE THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF
THE GREAT ESCAPE

The Action-Packed Adventure Classic Breaks Out onto Blu-ray
For the First Time Ever May 7 With Over Three Hours of Extras

Film Will Be Honored Throughout the Year Including a
Special Engagement at the TCM Classic Film Festival in April

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 25, 2013) – In celebration of the birthday of iconic Hollywood legend Steve McQueen who would have turned 83-years-old yesterday, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment are proud to announce that THE GREAT ESCAPE will arrive on Blu-ray for the first time on May 7, 2013. Directed by Academy Award® nominee John Sturges,* catch one of AFI’s “100 Most Thrilling American Films” in an all-new masterful 4K transfer.

In honor of its 50th anniversary, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will host events around the world to showcase the remastered Blu-ray. THE GREAT ESCAPE restoration will be screened at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Los Angeles April 25-28 and the film will receive a limited theatrical re-release in cities across the globe, with additional initiatives coming throughout the year.

Based on a true story, THE GREAT ESCAPE is “a motion picture that entertains, captivates, thrills and stirs” (Variety). In 1943, the Germans opened a maximum security prison-of-war camp, designed to hold even the craftiest escape artists. By doing so, they unwittingly assembled the finest escape team in military history - brilliantly portrayed by Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson, and James Coburn- who worked on what became the largest prison breakout ever attempted. The Blu-ray comes fully loaded with over three hours of special features including commentary with Director Sturges and crew, multiple making of featurettes, the original theatrical trailer and more.

* Best Director; Bad Day at Black Rock (1956)

THE GREAT ESCAPE Blu-ray Features:
  Audio Commentary by Director John Sturges, Cast & Crew
  The Great Escape: Bringing Fact to Fiction
  The Great Escape: Preparations for Freedom
  The Great Escape: The Flight to Freedom
  The Great Escape: A Standing Ovation
  The Great Escape: The Untold Story
  The Great Escape: The Untold Story – Additional Interviews
  A Real Virgil Hilts: A Man Called Jones
  Return to The Great Escape
  Original Theatrical Trailer

Life of Pi 3D chalk art by Chalkmaster Dave


As you know they have been charting Chalkmaster Dave's progress on his Life of Pi 3D chalk art at the Toronto Eaton Centre celebrating this week's release of the film to 3D Blu-ray! Here are some photos I was given to share with you.  For all those who couldn't make it to Toronto to see what it looked like in person... enjoy the beauty of his art.



Homemade Syrup

Well, as usual, we ran out of maple syrup and my husband started making pancakes without thinking. With no time to run to the store, and no patience; I was a little unimpressed by this time. I went on my new favorite website and found a recipe for homemade syrup.  I didn't have the maple flavoring that the lady's recipe called for but I did have golden brown sugar (I love the flavor of that so it worked well for me)

Recipe:
2 cups of white sugar
1 cup of water
1.5 tsp of golden sugar (her recipe called for 1 1/4 tsp maple flavoring)

In a medium saucepan pour in your sugar then add the water DO NOT stir them, they will boil just fine. Bring to a boil and allow to boil approximately one minute. Then remove from heat.  Your syrup will start to thicken over time.
The children loved it. My middle daughter said "MMM, you're the best mommy in the whole world!"  Awww, really, just for saving the day with my very own syrup! 
I am a rockstar, woohoo!!!

I have seen numerous recipes now and I plan to try some more out and find my favorite, but this one certainly was yummy for me!!

This gets 10 out of 10 thumbs up! (They may have said is was good because mommy made it, heehee)

~~I was not asked to review this awesome creation but since I made it myself and was super proud of it I just had to~~

Awesome event going on NOW at Toronto Eaton Centre! 

Who: Chalkmaster Dave is an award winning chalk/street artist who will be drawing an interactive 3D drawing to pay tribute to Life of Pi 

What: The 3D street drawing is an incredible 14 feet by 20 feet image on the floor of the Toronto Eaton Centre 

Where: The Toronto Eaton Centre (Trinity Way in front of Sears)  220 Yonge St. Toronto, ON Date: Started Monday, March 11.  Drawing will be finished on Wednesday, March 13.

Chasing Mavericks ~~GIVEAWAY~~

Win a Copy of Chasing Mavericks Starring Gerard Butler! 
Chasing Mavericks Now Available on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Copy



Chasing Mavericks is the inspirational true story of real life surfing phenom Jay Moriarity (played by newcomer Jonny Weston).  When 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, is not only real, but exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson (played by Gerard Butler) to train him to survive it.  As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes about far more than surfing. Chasing Mavericks was made with the help of some of the biggest names in the surfing world, and features some of the most mind-blowing real wave footage ever captured on film. Enjoy this inspirational story of surfing legend Jay Moriarty and his quest to conquer the now famous Mavericks wave.

To win your very own copy of Chasing Mavericks on Blu-ray and two “Live Like Jay” bracelets simply answer the following question below.  Please remember you MUST leave a comment on this post with your answer to the question in order to be entered into this contest.

Chasing Mavericks Review

g Mavericks
Chasing Mavericks is the inspirational true story of real life surfing phenom Jay Moriarity (played by newcomer Jonny Weston). When 15 year old Jay discovers that the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the biggest waves on Earth, is not only real, but exists just miles from his Santa Cruz home, he enlists the help of local legend Frosty Hesson (played by Gerard Butler) to train him to survive it. As Jay and Frosty embark on their quest to accomplish the impossible, they form a unique friendship that transforms both their lives, and their quest to tame Mavericks becomes about far more than surfing. Chasing Mavericks was made with the help of some of the biggest names in the surfing world, and features some of the most mind-blowing real wave footage ever captured on film.

MY REVIEW:
What a movie,  I really loved this and I'm not a surfing fan.  Yes it helps that Gerard Butler was in it to drool over but it was more than that.  It was the actual story of this boy.  An amazing tail of a child growing up without a father, a child who almost drown at a young age, of course when Frosty (Butler) came to the rescue and saved him it was the start of something that would change their lives forever.  This kid loved the water, counting the waves was his favorite hobby it seemed.  Frosty was a well guarded man who never let anyone get too close (a feeling I'm sure many of us know for many different reasons).  When Jay came to him about learning to surf the Mavericks at the age of 15, Frosty very abruptly says no and that was that.  Sometimes I wonder if men just aren't programmed to understand "FEELINGS" of others at all, yep, I do think that's the case.  It takes his wife to let him know what he needed to do and she did, and he did too!
I really enjoyed every minute of this movie, Jay found out who his true friends were, some the hard way.  He was a young man holding onto a childhood crush on a girl who "didn't want to be seen in public with him"  There was one scene of this movie where she is standing outside talking to other people and he nods at her, as if to say "hey" and she completely ignores it and looks away.  Happens too often in life, no wonder kids grow up not knowing what other people really think/feel about them.  
Getting back to the topic at hand here.  I think this is a fantastic story that everyone should watch, grown ups and children alike.  There is something to be learned from this one for sure.  If you want something bad enough, you need to train and work very hard to get it.  Things don't just "happen" you actually have to work at it, you have to strive to achieve your goals!

I was very sad at the end of the movie when the credits were running and you see that young Jay lost his life at the age of 22, and while there is never a good time to die young, he did get to live the life he dreamed of.... he got to surf, to marry his childhood love, and to have the inspiration of a great man.  Frosty promised his wife that he would not let the thrill of the wave take him away from his children, and he kept it!

I really hope that Jay's wife was able to find peace and that she remembers the lifelong love they had.  It's a very inspiring movie based on someone's real life adventure.  I highly recommend it.  Whether you're a fan of the surf or not, you will like this movie...
I'm hosting a Giveaway until March 24th, head over now for your chance to win one of 3 BluRays with 2 Bracelets!!  Good luck in the giveaway...and in your life!!

~~I received the movie mentioned above for free for my written review of my honest opinion. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers~~