Sony Animation Day Upcoming Big Screen Movie Releases to Look Forward To

Movies

Guest Post

by Suzie Boluarte
Happy Mess Moments

Recently Sony Animation Pictures celebrated #SonyAnimationDay at the Sony Studios Lot in Culver City, CA. During the event, we were introduced to some very exciting animated feature films coming out in the next couple of years. 

Here's the breakdown and inside scoop of the films that the whole family will enjoy!

2017

If you grew-up watching The Smurfs, you're gonna want to take your kids to the fully animated, Smurfs: The Lost Village movie, in theaters April 7, 2017. The all-new take of the beloved cartoon may even leave you feeling nostalgic. Director Kelly Asbury made the Smurfs classic and contemporary by capturing the 1958 original comic book drawings from creator, Peyo.

In this film, a mysterious map sets Smurfette (Demi Lovato) and her best friends Brainy (Danny Pudi), Clumsy (Jack McBrayer) and Hefty (Joe Manganiello) on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does.  Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history!

The all-star voice cast also includes: Mandy Patinkin (Papa Smurf), Michelle Rodriguez (Smurf Storm), Ellie Kemper (Smurf Blossom), Ariel Winter (Smurf Lily) and Julia Roberts (Smurf Willow) And special voice cameos by: Gordon Ramsay (Baker), Gabriel Iglesias (Jokey), Tituss Burgess (Vanity), Jeff Dunham (Farmer), Jake Johnson (Grouchy), and director Kelly Asbury (Nosey).

Director Kelly Asbury, along with two of the film's stars, Demi Lovato and Joe Manganiello were there for a Q & A with Access Hollywood. During the interview, we learned that Demi Lovato didn't grow-up watching the Smurfs, so she did her research by watching YouTube videos of the 80s cartoon.

If your kids are huge fans of the Emoji franchise, like mine are, they're gonna want you to take them to watch The Emoji Movie, in theaters August 4, 2017. The film unlocks the never-before-seen secret world inside your smartphone. Hidden within the messaging app is Textopolis, a bustling city where all your favorite emojis live, hoping to be selected by the phone’s user, a 15 year-old boy named Alex.  

In this world, each emoji has only one facial expression – except for Gene, an exuberant emoji who was born without a filter and is bursting with multiple expressions.  Determined to become “normal” like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his handy best friend Hi-5 and the notorious code breaker emoji Jailbreak.  

Together, they embark on an epic “app-venture” through the apps on the phone, each its own wild and fun world, to find the Code that will fix Gene.  But when a greater danger threatens the phone, the fate of all emojis depends on these three unlikely friends who must save their world before it’s deleted forever.

Voice cast includes T.J. Miller (Gene), James Corden (Hi-5), Ilana Glazer (Jailbreak), Steven Wright (Gene’s father, Mel Meh), Jennifer Coolidge (Gene’s mother, Mary Meh), Maya Rudolph (Smiler), Jake T. Austin (Alex), and Sir Patrick Stewart (Poop).

Director Tony Leondis gave us insight about the film's theme of self actualization and being able to express yourself without the need to change who you really are inside. This movie looks fun and as a great message!

The inspirational Holiday movie, The Star arrives in theaters November 10, 2017. It's a film inspired by the Nativity of Jesus, from the animal perspective.

A small but brave donkey named Bo yearns for a life beyond his daily grind at the village mill.  One day he finds the courage to break free, and finally goes on the adventure of his dreams.  On his journey, he teams up with Ruth, a lovable sheep who has lost her flock and Dave, a dove with lofty aspirations.  Along with three wisecracking camels and some eccentric stable animals, Bo and his new friends follow the Star and become accidental heroes in the greatest story ever told – the first Christmas.

Academy Award® nominated writer/director Timothy Reckart and executive-producer DeVon Franklin talked about their wish-list cast and couldn't be happier to have them on-board.

And rightfully so, because the voice cast will be led by Steven Yeun (Bo the donkey), Kelly Clarkson (Leah the horse), Aidy Bryant (Ruth the sheep), Keegan-Michael Key (Dave the dove), Kristin Chenoweth (Mouse), Anthony Anderson (Zach the goat), Gabriel Iglesias (Rufus the dog), Ving Rhames (Thaddeus the dog), Delilah Rene (Elizabeth), Kris Kristofferson (Old Donkey), Gina Rodriguez (Mary), Zachary Levi (Joseph), with Oprah Winfrey (Deborah), Tyler Perry (Cyrus) and Tracy Morgan (Felix) as the three camels, and Christopher Plummer(King Herod).

2018-2020

Next year, look forward to another installment of Hotel Transylvania. Hotel Transylvania 3, set to release September 21, 2018.  Director Genndy Tartakovsky shared with us that his family vacation cruise was the inspiration for this third installment.

Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac’s Pack cannot resist going along and once they leave port, romance zings Drac when he meets the mysterious ship captain Ericka.  Now it’s Mavis’ turn to play the overprotective parent, keeping her dad and Ericka apart. Little do they know that his “too good to be true” love interest is actually a descendent of Van Helsing, arch nemesis to Dracula and all monsters!

The voice ensemble of favorites returns, including Adam Sandler (Dracula), Selena Gomez (Mavis) and Andy Samberg (Johnny).

Can't wait till 2018 to see your favorite monsters? You can find a new animated short, Puppy, debuting in theaters attached to The Emoji Movie in August 2017.  In the short, the residents of Hotel Transylvania find their world turned upside-down when youngster Dennis gets a surprise monster-sized pet!  

From Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, the geniuses behind The Lego Movie, comes an animated SPIDER-MAN feature starring Miles Morales. The untitled animated film is set to release December 21, 2018. I got to see a conceptual teaser and I personally, cannot wait for this to come out!

When you see that Lin-Manuel Miranda, the award-winning (Emmy, Tony, Grammy, Olivier, Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient) creative force behind the groundbreaking Broadway musical HAMILTON, is involved in a movie, you know it's gonna be more than amazing! The musical animated feature, Vivo will be released December 18, 2020 with all new songs written by Miranda. Stay tuned for more info!

So much to look forward to this year and next from Sony Animation, for sure!

FTC Disclosure: MommyBlogExpert was invited to a special event on the Sony lot to facilitate this story. However, no compensation was exchanged in association with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Super Bowl 2017 All About Commercials Especially Budweiser Humble Immigrant Roots

Culture

Like more than a few others, I'm not a huge NFL sports fan or Super Bowl watcher. But that doesn't mean I won't be one of the millions of viewers watching the 51st Super Bowl, since the commercials are so entertaining and always among the year's best. And, in that regard, it's sure looking like Super Bowl Sunday 2017 is shaping up to be the most anticipated one ever. 

Image from Skittles

Leading up to the big game, there certainly has been an avalanche of advertising buzz: 75,000 social posts related to Super Bowl advertising, including 40,000 mentions just within the past seven days, according to international social media analytics firm Talkwalker.

So which brands are leading with the most pre-game Super Bowl ad hype based on number of social media mentions? In first, second, and third place respectively are Snickers, Skittles and Mr. Clean.

Snickers is debuting what they're billing as the first live Super Bowl commercial ever and the buzz around it has included more than 1.4 million YouTube views of the teaser. 





Not to be outdone is Skittles which received a very warm reception on its Facebook post featuring hashtag #TasteTheRainbow and Seattle Seahawks super athlete Marshawn Lynch bringing the candy to Houston, Scotland. Then, there's the all-new and buff Mr. Clean. I mean, who wouldn't want a guy who doesn't look this to do all your housework for you?

Image from Mr. Clean

Meanwhile, award-winning advertiser Anheuser-Busch is coming up from behind like a dark horse to air another memorable Budweiser commercial meant to move emotions. Unlike recent years, though, in 2017 it won't be the loveable world-famous Clydesdale horses that deliver the brand's message. Instead, this made-in-America beer company will roll out its commercial Born the Hard Way, spotlighting its humble beginnings with a tribute to immigrant cofounder Aldophus Busch. 

Take a peek at the newest chapter in this American tradition: the trailer for the Budweiser 2017 Super Bowl commercial which was just released on YouTube today...




How timely, considering all the current unrest surrounding immigration and refugees here in the USA which has been particularly poignant during the past week. It will be interesting to see how this ad messaging impacts public opinion long after the winner of America's biggest sporting event of the year has been crowned.

FTC Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation in association with this post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Groupon Family Friendly Coupons Save You Lots of Money on Things You Buy Anyway

Deals

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

#GrouponCoupons 

Raising kids and saving money in today's world, with ever rising expenses both for luxury items and basics, can be a huge challenge. As I've learned by personal experience, Groupon is the place to go for the best deals in town, including many of the necessities as well as fun experiences that I need or want to buy for my kids and family. 

Last year, for example, we took our whole family on an unforgettable hot air balloon ride at sunrise over the rolling hills of a vineyard, saving hundreds of dollars via Groupon Coupons on what tickets normally would have cost. This is something I don't think we would have ever experienced had we not seen a Groupon deal for this.

And, just a few weeks ago, my hubby surprised my horse-loving daughter who was home visiting from college with a horseback riding adventure not far from where we live -- at a fraction of the price it would have cost us to book reservations directly with the horse stable. 

Then, there's the time when we took our kids on a fabulous whale watching voyage off the coast of California after finding another Groupon deal that was too good to turn down.

We also regularly save big bucks on Groupon by buying coupons to go out to eat. For example, we just bought a $10 Groupon coupon redeemable for $25 worth of food at a local restaurant we've been going to for years and that everyone in our family of six loves. 

What's more is my fashion savvy daughters are going to be thrilled to know that right now Groupon has 79 coupons for various great deals good at their all-time favorite store to shop: Forever 21. Talk about stretching your fashion dollars to the max.

This solution to frugal living is too good for me not to share with all MBE's like-minded thrifty readers. You can save big money online, too, for a surprising range of fun and practical purchases online and in brick-and-mortar stores in your local area for products and services every member of the family will likely appreciate.

As you can see, Groupon is not only a must for shopping on a budget for the essentials of every day living. By taking advantage of it, you can also go to so many places: on the ground, sea and in the air!

About Groupon
Groupon offers a huge mobile and online marketplace where every day families can discover and save on a seemingly endless amount of things to do, see, eat and purchase. For more information and to start saving visit Groupon.com, you can also stay in the loop with frugal living by following the brand on Facebook and Twitter.

FTC Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. See complete FTC Disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.