Three Idiots (A New Bollywood Classic): Review and Giveaway

3 IDIOTS 1-disc DVD (Catalog #2274044 US and Canada)

Street Date: April 26, 2011

Screen Format: Widescreen

Audio: English/Hindi 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, Spanish and French

U.S. Rating: PG-13

Total Run Time: 164 minutes

Closed Captioned: Yes

Own the award winning hit Bollywood film that had Indian audiences raving when 3 IDIOTS arrived on DVD April 26^th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Bollywood’s highest grossing film ever stars award winning actors Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Sharman Joshi. All-new, exclusive bonus features make this DVD a must for fans.

In the tradition of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off comes this refreshing comedy about a rebellious prankster with a crafty mind and a heart of gold.  Rascal. Joker. Dreamer. Genius... You've never met a college student quite like "Rancho."  From the moment he arrives at India's most prestigious university, Rancho's outlandish schemes turn the campus upside down—along with the lives of his two newfound best friends. Together, they make life miserable for "Virus," the school’s uptight and heartless dean. But when Rancho catches the eye of the dean's sexy daughter, Virus sets his sights on flunking out the "3 idiots" once and for all.

3 IDIOTS won 6 FilmFare Awards in India including Best Picture and Best director. It also swept the International Indian Film Academy Awards with an impressive 16 wins.

3 IDIOTS SPECIAL FEATURES:

• Idiots in Ladakh
• Aal Izz Well
• 100% Idiots
• Making of Miss Idiot

Have you ever watched a Bollywood movie?  Bollywood (the Bolly is Bombay/Mumbai in India) is a huge global movie industry and I'm excited to see more and more Bollywood movies being released on DVD in the U.S. 3 Idiots is the latest Hindi movie to cross the pond and, whether you've experienced the Bollywood genre before or not, this movie is definitely worth your time!  I sat down with the hub and First Born to watch 3 Idiots.  First Born and I love Bollywood films but between our schedules we rarely have time to watch them. The hub is not as big a fan (as I think he should be).  He ended up watching the whole 164 minute movie and laughing several times throughout!  3 Idiots is about 3 young men who learn the value of friendship and what education really should be.  Then they re-unite, 10 years later, to discover how that time at college shaped their lives.  There are lots of laughs, some surprises, and a few songs along the way.  This movie can be viewed with older kids (the PG-13 does apply here) and communicates a great message about learning and competition.  Don't let subtitles intimidate you!  Check out 3 Idiots! 

SHOP: You can purchase 3 Idiots at any retail outlet carrying Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment releases.

WIN: Woot!  Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment and ThinkJam are offering two Moana Saves winners their own copies of 3 Idiots.  For your mandatory entry, tell us if you've watched a Bollywood movie before and, if so, which one.  This is the mandatory entry for this giveaway and must be done before all of the additional entries.
   
To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do:

1. Become a Google Friends Connect follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
3. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.
4. Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter. 
5. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following: #win 3 Idiots a #bollywood film (2 winners) from @foxhomeent and @moanasaves ends 5/30 http://bit.ly/ijaROn

6. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).

7. Like the Moana Saves Facebook page.

 

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway. He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S. This giveaway ends on 5/30 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time). One winner will be chosen randomly via Random.org. I will notify the winner via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner. 

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive free product to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions here are mine.

Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure: A Review

I have to admit that I'm not a fan of Sharpay (back in the High School Musical context) but Second Born really wanted to see this movie and so I was glad to review it when Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure was available.

Some info about the movie from IMDB: Sharpay Evans travels to New York where she is pursuing a Broadway career but it's her dog who lands an acting gig first. Director: Michael Lembeck Writers: Robert Horn, Peter Barsocchini (characters) Stars: Ashley Tisdale, Austin Butler and Cameron Goodman. (90 mins)

To celebrate Disney's new Sharpay movie, Second Born invited two of her friends over to eat banana splits and watch it.  I was surprised at how the 7-9 yr old set were fairly savvy movie critics!  They could tell when a romantic moment or a twist in the plot was coming up.

First I want to talk about what works in the movie.  Sharpay is still a flawed, self-centered character and Ashley Tisdale's performance reflects that well.  Boi's subplot and performance were fresh and engaging.  The spoken dialogue of Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure is pretty snappy which is something I appreciate in films especially when there is no accompanying vulgarity (this movie is rated G, peeps!).  Plus the songs were great!

That said, the plot of Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure is fairly predictable for a girl's rite of passage film.  I was surprised at how quickly Sharpay got used to being a subordinate (not saying how!)--it didn't feel like a convincing character transformation.  And the ending was predictable as well.

Even with those flaws, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure was a great movie for girls, reinforcing how one should reach for her dream and stay true to herself all the way.  This film is a frothy, pink 90 minute girl-power-fest that parents can feel comfortable sharing with their tween daughters.  Although Sharpay is as high maintenance as ever, her willingness to work hard for her dream is a great example for girls.

Here is a clip from Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure to whet your appetite for the movie:

Disney Movie Rewards currently has a $8 off coupon for the Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure Combo Pack HERE.

I was compensated for this post although I did receive a free copy of Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure to facilitate this review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader DVD - A Review

The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) is a fun family movie filled with adventure and fun. In this third installment of the Narnia Chronicles, directed by Michael Apted, Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way, they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world (IMDB.com).

Rated PG (and under 2 hours) made this a very family-friendly movie, especially with my four rambunctious kids. Reepicheep, the large talking mouse, kept them laughing, while "the mist" and other sea creatures had them cuddling up next to me, even covering their eyes at times. Nothing too scary, though. The only thing that was really annoying, at least initially, was cousin Eustace. I guess it helped in making his transformation into a vital part of their survival all the more dramatic, but his voice and bratty antics were wearing on me. Other than that, I enjoyed watching Voyage of the Dawn Treader for our family movie night. There aren't too many adventurous and action-packed movies that I can watch with my kids, so it was nice to share with them the excitement of it all.

One last thing I liked about the movie was how it touched on the consequences of being selfish, greedy, bratty, and unhappy with yourself and who you are. It also showed what happens when you are the opposite of those things: selfless, giving, nice and happy with who you are. My kids made comments throughout the movie and afterward about these things, so it was nice to talk to them about making good choices and having them listen wholeheartedly because I was using examples from the movie! BONUS!

For more information about the movie as well as some fun Narnia games, go HERE.   And, for now, here's a preview of The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader:

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a free DVD to facilitate this review. Any and all opinions here are mine.

Glee Encore on DVD: A Review

My family is a big fan of Glee and, when the opportunity came up to review Glee Encore, I knew I had to snatch it up! Glee Encore was released on April 19, 2011 for retail price at $26.98 and runs for 142 minutes - which is about 2 and a half hours of JUST Glee music! Just the amazing music styling of the cast, one right after the other! IF you want to know what songs are featured on the DVD, check it out here. 

This is the product description from Amazon.com -

Put on your dancing shoes and get ready to Gleek Out! This full-length DVD features a set list of Season One’s most sensational musical numbers – back to back so the party never has to end! All your favorites are here, including Queen’s “Somebody To Love, Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and Madonna’s “Express Yourself!”

Once I pressed play and the DVD began, I couldn't stop singing. I may not have the best voice but I love to sing along with the Glee cast! I loved watching the musical numbers and tried to remember the reasons why they were singing that particular song.It makes me want to watch Season 1 all over again! I really enjoyed how it made me feel like I was watching the music videos for the songs. I loved it!

Glee did a really good job picking the songs to feature in the DVD.

My kids danced along to the more upbeat songs like "Don't Stop Believing" and "Lean on Me".

My husband and I sang along to most of the songs together. I pretty much don't know all the words to the songs but I will sing along nonetheless! Husband knows all the words to the songs and sings along perfectly!

 

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a free DVD to facilitate this review.  Any and all opinions here are mine.

A Mothers Day Discount courtesy of Fox Home Entertainment

To celebrate Mothers day this coming Sunday we’re offering a 24hr exclusive discount on a selection of Family Friendly titles courtesy of the Fox Home Entertainment catalogue.

In order to receive $3 off your purchase and FREE shipping in time for Mothers Day, simply visit http://www.foxconnect.com/blogs  and enter the promotion code MOMMY

Treat your Mom to one of her favorite films from our large array including:

- Devil Wears Prada
- Ice Age
- Ice Age: Meltdown
- Romeo and Juliet
- Ever After
- Australia
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith
- Moulin Rouge
- Alvin & the Chipmunks
- Horton Hears a Who

Hurry fast though as DVD purchases are based on a first come first served basis.

I did not receive compensation for this post.  Any and all opinions here are mine.

Top Bollywood Crossover Films

In addition to my K-drama obsession, I also LOVE Bollywood movies: the music, the romance, the color!  And guess what?  3 Idiots is about to get released on DVD in the U.S.!  3 Idiots is one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time.  Hindi cinema as brought us stories of singing and dancing since the early 1900’s, and entered a “Golden Age’ in the 50’s and 60’s.  The brightly colored sets, grandiose musical numbers have inspired other wondrous films such as Moulin Rogue!   In addition, serious tales like Slumdog Millionaire and Bride & Prejudice have captured the hearts here in the West.  To celebrate its release on DVD April 26^th, we’re going to take a look at some of the globally successful films from Mumbai that you may not be as familiar with.

3 Idiots

Releasing on DVD Tuesday, April 26^th – 3 Idiots is a story of two friends that go looking for their lost buddy.  Bets are made, a wedding is crashed and an unexpected visit to a funeral keeps the boys on their toes.   This feel-good film broke all opening box office records in India, has won numerous awards, and is now hailed as an “all-time blockbuster”.

Pardes

This tale of a “foreign land” was one of the first major Bollywood films to do well in the US.  Ganga, a girl growing up in a conservative family in India travels to America to meet her new husband, but falls in love with his friend Arjun instead.  Pure love must prevail as the two star-crossed lovers try to prove their love to their families.

Lagaan

This sports musical is set in the Victorian person of the British Raj and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film in 2002.  With a stint at Sundance and praise from the likes of Roger Ebert, Baz Lurhmann – this visual masterpiece is definitely worth checking out.

Kites

This film opened in 208 theaters in North America, and was the largest US Bollywood release of 2010.  J is a dance teacher in Las Vegas and marries immigrant women to help them secure their green cards.  Little does he know, he’s about the “marry” the woman of his dreams.  In a crazy twist of events, they run from the police and share great newly-wed moments together.

Kaminey

Drugs and horseracing make this musical dramedy of two struggling brothers in this fast-paced action and dark humor that’s universally appealing.  Crooked copies and a pregnant heroine make this film one intense wild ride.

Just some fun Bollywood crossover films for you to watch while waiting for 3 Idiots to release in the U.S.  Yes, I've seen almost all of them.  Oh, and here's more info about 3 Idiots (we'll be featuring a review and giveaway of this great Bollywood crossover film soon!): 

The Biggest Hit in the History of Indian Cinema

3 Idiots
Available on DVD April 26th Featuring All-New Never Before Seen Bonus Features

SUMMARY:Own the award winning hit Bollywood film that had Indian audiences raving when 3 IDIOTS arrives on DVD April 26th from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. Bollywood's highest grossing film ever stars award winning actors Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor and Sharman Joshi. All-new, exclusive bonus features make this DVD a must for fans. 

In the tradition of Ferris Bueller's Day Off comes this refreshing comedy about a rebellious prankster with a crafty mind and a heart of gold. Rascal. Joker. Dreamer. Genius... You've never met a college student quite like "Rancho." From the moment he arrives at India's most prestigious university, Rancho's outlandish schemes turn the campus upside down, along with the lives of his two newfound best friends. Together, they make life miserable for "Virus," the school's uptight and heartless dean. But when Rancho catches the eye of the dean's sexy daughter, Virus sets his sights on flunking out the "3 idiots" once and for all. .

3 IDIOTS won 6 FilmFare Awards in India including Best Picture and Best director. It also swept the International Indian Film Academy Awards with an impressive 16 wins.

3 IDIOTS 1-disc DVD

Street Date: April 26, 2011

Screen Format: Widescreen

Audio: English/Hindi 5.1 Dolby Digital

Subtitles: English, Spanish and French

U.S. Rating: PG-13

Total Run Time: 164 minutes

Closed Captioned: Yes

3 IDIOTS Special Features:

� Idiots in Ladakh

� Aal Izz Well

� 100% Idiots

� Making of Miss Idiot 

I did not receive compensation for this blog post.  Any and all opinions here are mine.

Review: Neptune's Ocean from BABY EINSTEIN

Since lovely Baby #5 came along, I begin to wonder if I pay ENOUGH attention to her...like I did with the others. I'm sure I do, since she is always attached to my hip...but I don't do the word flashcards, read her HER books & point to the pictures & all that goes with an almost 1 year old, like I used to.  I have enjoyed Baby Einstein in the past with Baby #1, but after a few moves my collection got lost. SO I WAS SUPER excited to see that they have Discovery Kits, new DVDs and more. 

*About The Baby Einstein Company

The Baby Einstein Company, LLC, is the award-winning creator of the infant media category.  The company is known for its best-selling Baby Einstein brand of DVDs, books, music CDs and toys specifically designed for babies and toddlers. Baby Einstein products bring the arts and humanities to parents and babies through real-world images, music re-orchestrated for little ears and delightful puppet shows.  Headquartered in Burbank, CA, The Baby Einstein Company is a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company.   For more information about the company and its products, visit the Baby Einstein website.

We were very Lucky to receive "Neptune's Ocean," which is perfect since we live close to the ocean.

*(NEW) Neptune’s Oceans (releasing February 22, 2011) - Dive in with your little explorer for a voyage of undersea discovery! Journey across Neptune’s Oceans to encounter amazing marine life in their natural habitats. Penguins, whales, dolphins, sea lions and crabs come to life in engaging musical portraits. Together, you and your baby will ride a tide of fun as you explore this wondrous new world!

As we put her movie on, ALL the kids came running to see what Little Miss #5's DVD was all about. They stuck around for the full DVD & said all the words that came on & talked about what they saw. Even Munchkin #4 (2 1/2 yrs. old) would YELL out all the fish & sea life he knew words for. A great learning & entertaining tool for all MY kids ages.

She couldn't keep her eyes off of the cool things she saw!

Since I homeschool my older 3, we enjoyed their discovery Kits during school time. Each kit comes with a DVD, a music CD & picture cards or a book.  I was anticipating the music CD for quiet reading time & also using the picture cards to help my baby's vocabulary grow. So she could have her own special LEARNING time. What a great tool!

So Little Miss #5 enjoyed the cards. She would point & try to repeat the words of the pictures as we said them. 

OVERALL Thoughts: Me & my clan of 5 kids give it 12 thumbs UP! 



TO PURCHASE: Visit AMAZON to get Neptune's Ocean & other great kits.


*Details we received from The Baby Einstein Company to give proper information for this review
**I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a product sample to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

Strawberry Shortcake Puttin' on the Glitz DVD Review

Last weekend we received our copy of Puttin' on the Glitz with Strawberry Shortcake and her friends. Did we enjoy it? To quote my husband: "The girls LOVE that movie! Their eyes were glued to it all morning!" Yes, my daughters loved all three episodes on the new Strawberry Shortcake DVD. 

Now you may think that you would rather not give your child a DVD about makeup and hair because you don't want to give your daughter the wrong impression. Let me set your mind at ease by saying that these clips are not focused solely on looking beautiful. Instead Strawberry and her friends work to help each other develop their friendships and talents. Here are a few quotes from my daughters' perspectives that prove the DVD isn't all about makeup and hair:

Daughter #1: "On the glamor girl one I learned that if there's something you don't like but your friend gave it to you then you have to tell them the truth even if you might hurt their feelings a little."

Daughter #2: "The show about the hair-cutting girl was about friends helping Lemon because she was sad. I want to be a nice friend like Lemon's friends."

Daughter #3: "Strawberry! Happy birthday to me!" (This DVD arrived just in time for her birthday and she was so excited!)

We love our new DVD, Puttin' on the Glitz with Strawberry Shortcake!

Reminder: Don't forget about this GIVEAWAY where you can win a copy of this DVD. I think it would make the perfect Easter basket treat.

I was not compensated for this post although I did receive a product sample to facilitate my review.  Any and all opinions here are my own.

Strawberry Shortcake DVD Giveaway

Today I'm excited to highlight Fox Home Entertainment's latest kids' DVD, Strawberry Shortcake Puttin' on the Glitz.  I grew up in the '80s so Strawberry and her dessert named friends like Apple Dumplin' and Raspberry Tart bring back fond memories.  (And quite honestly I prefer my children playing with these cute and wholesomely dressed dolls compared to the other possibilities presented on toy aisles today.)  

In this new film Strawberry and her friends are glammin' it up with style and fashion but it all quickly unravels with a misunderstanding. As the girls learn to be honest with their feelings and their friends their true 'makeover' takes place. In the end the girls learn that nothing looks as beautiful as friendship feels.

This DVD arrives just in time for Easter and will be available for sale beginning March 22nd. One of the special features my daughters will love is the printable coloring pages like the one posted here.

GIVEAWAY: Fox Home Entertainment and American Greetings are offering 2 Moana Saves readers a copy of the DVD. To earn an entry like Moana Saves on Facebook. 

To earn an additional entry, do one (or all) of the following and leave a separate comment for each thing you do: 

1. Become a Networked Blogs follower of Moana Saves (in the sidebar).
2. Follow Moana Saves on Twitter.
3. Tweet about this giveaway (limit one tweet per day) using the following:
#Win a Strawberry Shortcake DVD from @moanasaves #giveaway ends 3/31 http://bit.ly/fsbiNI
4. Subscribe to the Moana Saves feed via RSS reader and/or email updates (in the sidebar).
5. Grab the Moana Saves button and put it on your blog until the giveaway is over. 

Only one person per email/household/IPaddress can enter this giveaway.  He/she must be 18+ years old and reside in the U.S.  This giveaway ends on Monday, 3/31/11 at 11:59 PM HST (Hawaii Standard Time).  Five winners will be chosen randomly via Random.org.  I will notify the winners via email and he/she must respond to claim the prize within 48 hours or I will draw another winner.