Marvel's Avengers - Age of Ultron

Marvel Studios is back with Avengers: Age of Ultron, the epic sequel to one of the largest superhero movies made. The Avengers find themselves facing the experiment of HYDRA leader Baron von Strucker, twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff (Elisabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor-Johnson) during an assault of his castle. Wanda has the power to warp reality and takes down the entire team of Avengers. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is worried after getting a glimpse of a possible future and decides to use Loki's scepter to bring the A.I. to life that he and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) were creating: Ultron. Ultron (James Spader) was designed to protect Earth, but being an A.I., has a mind of it's own and decides humanity needs to evolve - by being exterminated so machines can inherit the Earth.

There is a lot going on in Avengers, and writer-director Joss Whedon does a good job of allowing each character to get their own moment, and what a cast of characters. Robert Downey Jr. returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, Chris Evans as Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, with the additional support of Don Cheadle as James Rhodes/War Machine, Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, Stellan Skarsgård as Erik Selvig and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

There is plenty of humour and action packed sequences. The Hulkbuster was definitely my favourite! Some of the stories feel too contrived (Natasha and Bruce?) but maybe that can't be helped with so many big characters. We do get to see some of the backstory of the characters through the visions they have when Wanda works her powers on them which was quite interesting, though Thor's vision was a bit confusing and made me think they just wanted to have material to spin-off for more standalone Thor movies. James Spader makes a delicious villain (but I only heard a more sinister Alan Shore from Boston Legal) and you can't help but cheer when he is finally defeated. I'm not familiar with the comic-verse, but you do find out who will be in the new Avengers film.  Avengers drags on a little bit near the end, especially with a two and half hour running time. Make sure to stay through the credits for an extra scene.

Overall, Avengers: Age of Ultron doesn't capture the same excitement as seeing all the heroes together for the first time,  but nonetheless it was an entertaining movie worth seeing on the big screen.

Disney's Tomorrowland - New Featurette!

A new featurette for Disney's Tomorrowland is out now! Looks like an exciting movie - and reminds me of Disneyland!

Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast

The Disney Fairies are back with a new adventure. Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast focuses on Fawn, an animal fairy whose talent is befriending and studying all the animals of Pixie Hollow. Fawn always wants to help animals first and think about consequences later, which doesn't sit well with the head of the Scout Fairies, Nyx, whose job it is to take down any threats to Pixie Hollow.

When the Neverbeast shows up, Fawn quickly befriends the large and scary-looking animal (who really reminds me of Falkor from The Neverending Story) while Nyx thinks the complete opposite and wants to capture him. 

The animation is gorgeous and there are some great songs. Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast is full of humour, action and emotion (J said she teared up in the last scene) and is perfect movie for the Fairies fan!

Pick up the Blu-ray in stores now! It is packed with bonus features including deleted scenes and featurettes. 

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Sleeping Beauty is Coming Out of the Disney Vault October 7!

Sleeping Beauty is back this month, being re-released in HD on Blu-ray and DVD. This classic animated Disney movie follows the release of Maleficent that came out in theatres this summer, which put a twist on the fairytale we all know, so it’s the perfect time to re-watch this classic movie.

Fairies, a brave prince, and one of the most spectacular villains in animation, Sleeping Beauty has it all. Princess Aurora gets put into an enchanted sleep by Maleficent and Prince Phillip must defeat a fire-breathing dragon to rescue her.

The Diamond Edition comes packed with hours of bonus features including:

- Deleted scenes

- The Art of Evil: Generations of Disney Villians

- DisneyAnimation: Artists in Motion

- Sing-A-Long

- The Making of Sleeping Beauty

- and much more!

Sleeping Beauty Diamond Edition will be available in stores on October 7, 2014. 

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

The Hundred-Foot Journey - Out In Theatres Now!

Based on the novel by Richard C. Morais, The Hundred-Foot Journey follows a Mumbai family that moves to France, where they open up an Indian restaurant headed by Papa (Puri), right across the street from a Michelin star restaurant owned by Madame Mallory (Mirren). She is proud of her classic French cuisine and despises the intrusion of the Indian family. After an act of violence on the Indian family that leaves Papa's son and aspiring cook, Hassan (Manish Dayal), injured, Madame Mallory opens the doors to her restaurant to him and hires him to work at her restaurant and learn everything about French cuisine.

The Hundred-Foot Journey was a very enjoyable film, with hilarious quips and complaints between the rival restauranteurs. This movie will have your mouth watering at the Indian and French delicacies that the chefs cook up. "Food is memories" is a central theme of the movie, and you'll soon be thinking of your own food-related memories. Don't go watch this on an empty stomach! 

Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy In Theatres Today!

Guardians of the Galaxy, one of the most highly anticipated movies of the summer, comes out in theatres today. A rag-tag group of unconventional heroes, and not quite mainstream in the Marvel world, Guardians is definitely a fun movie to watch.

Taking place in a faraway galaxy, a human, Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) is a junkman who is after an orb for his boss, only to find out a ton of other folks are after it too. Gamora (Zoe Saldana), a trained weapon, is sent by villain Ronan (Lee Pace) to retrive the orb. Rocket, a genetically altered racoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and his friend Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), a walking tree, are bounty hunters who come along for a cut in the price that the orb would fetch. Rounding out the crew is Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) who the other meet in a Kyln prison. These five misfits form an unlikely team that must defeat Ronan and save the galaxy.

Guardians paint a pretty impressive CGI world and the action sequences are fast-paced. There are plenty of witty one-liners and off beat jokes that will have you laughing throughout the movie. Sprinkled with great tracks from the 70's (I Want You Back - Jackson 5, Hooked on a Feeling - Blue Swede), Guardians of the Galaxy definitely promises a fun ride for everyone. Guardians of the Galaxy is out in theatres today.

IMAX 3D Sneak Peak of Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy

Marvel Studios announces Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”: An IMAX 3D First Look—featuring 17 minutes of exclusive footage of Marvel’s highly anticipated summer blockbuster “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The sneak peek will be showcased in select IMAX locations across Canada on July 7, 2014, at 7 p.m.

Select IMAX 3D theatres nationwide and internationally will offer the special screening of thrilling, never-before-seen 3D footage of the James Gunn-directed epic space adventure, which opens across Canada on August 1, 2014.

Commenting on the exclusive footage, director James Gunn says,  “We’ve re-mastered some of our epic sequences into the IMAX format, taking the scope and scale to new heights while creating a truly immersive, cinematic experience that will take you further into the Marvel Universe than ever before.”

Tickets to the July 7th Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy”:  An IMAX 3D First Look are free and will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis starting today at 12:00 p.m EST through www.facebook.com/MarvelCanada.

Fans who attend this sneak peek will also receive a limited edition collectible Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” IMAX poster.

Sofia the First: The Floating Palace Now Available on DVD

Sofia the First: The Floating Palace is now out on DVD. Based on the popular animated series on Disney Junior, Sofia  embarks on an adventure under the sea! 

Do YOU believe in mermaids? You will – when you set sail on a magical full-length adventure under the sea with Sofia the First! After Sofia helps a young mermaid named Oona, Sofia’s amulet grants her the power to transform into a mermaid and visit her new friend’s secret underwater kingdom. But when Cedric (disguised as a sea monster) plots to steal Oona’s enchanted Mermaid Comb, danger surfaces for both worlds. With a little help from special guest, Princess Ariel, Sofia embarks on an adventure to rescue Oona. Overflowing with oceans of song-filled fun – plus three more exciting episodes – Sofia the First: The Floating Palace proves that when families and friends work together, they can weather any storm and save the day!

Everyone's favourite mermaid, Ariel, makes a special cameo apperance to help Sofia on her quest and remind her the importance of helping others. There are plenty of new songs in this fun movie and characters that this little red-head meets. In addition to The Floating Palace, there are three more episodes for you to enjoy! 

- Tri-Kingdowm Picnic
- Finding Clover
- Make Way for Miss Nettle

The DVD also comes with two friendship bracelets in pink and purple for your child to share! Sofia the First: The Floating Palace is out in stores now and you can save $6 when you buy this DVD and any other eligible Disney Junior DVD by printing out this coupon. This is the perfect movie to add to your DVD collection for fans of the little princess!

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Disney's The Pirate Fairy Out on Blu-ray & DVD April 1st

The Pirate Fairy is the newest flick in Tinkerbell's world and is full of swashbuckling adventure, friendship and pixie dust that  needs saving!

Synopsis: From the world of “Peter Pan” comes “The Pirate Fairy,” a swashbuckling new adventure about Zarina (voice of Christina Hendricks), a smart and ambitious dust-keeper fairy who’s captivated by Blue Pixie Dust and its endless possibilities. When Zarina’s wild ideas get her into trouble, she flees Pixie Hollow and joins forces with the scheming pirates of Skull Rock, who make her captain of their ship. Tinker Bell (voice of Mae Whitman) and her friends must embark on an epic adventure to find Zarina, and together they go sword-to-sword with the band of pirates led by a cabin boy named James (voice of Tom Hiddleston), who’ll soon be known as Captain Hook himself. 

Coming soon to Blu-ray and DVD,  the movie comes packed with bonus features!

- Second Star to the Right: The Legacy of Never Land
- Croc-u-mentary
- Deleted Scenes
- The Making of "The Frigate That Flies"
- Sing-Along Songs

It was cool to see the movie tie in characters that we know and love from Peter Pan. The Pirate Fairy is out in stores on Blu-ray and DVD on April 1, 2014.

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Muppets Most Wanted - In Theatres Now!

I went to the advanced screening Muppets Most Wanted last Wednesday. Tina Fey, Ty Burrell and Ricky Gervais were hilarious! Known for poking fun at themselves and their catchy tunes, Muppets Most Wanted did not disappoint. There were definitely a few songs that I was singing along to after the movie. Check out a few of them below!

Frozen - Now Available on Blu-ray/DVD!

 The day has come that Frozen fans have been waiting for - Frozen is now available everywhere on Blu-ray and DVD. With a bunch of Disney movies released on the 18th, Frozen was one of the ones I picked up on the day of release. Arguably one of the most successful Disney flicks in history, the Collector's Edition has been selling extremely well since it's release. It includes a Blu-ray, DVD and HD digital copy. It is packed with bonus features including:

- The Making of Frozen
- D'frosted: Disney's Journey from Hans Christian Anderson to Frozen
- Deleted Scenes
- "Let It Go" Music Videos
- "Get a Horse!" Mickey Mouse Short

Many stores are selling the Collector's edition pack with an exclusive gift.

- The Target exclusive includes a bonus DVD that contains a deleted scene, Frozen art gallery and The Voices of Frozen featurette.
- Walmart contains either an Elsa or Anna Disney Infinity figurine
- Best Buy and Futureshop includes an activity book

Currently on sale this week for only $19.99, Frozen is definitely a must-own for Disney fans! Make sure to check out the offer from Disney Movie Rewards to get your own pull-apart Olaf plushie for only $9.95 when you enter the DMR code included in your movie. You can also purchase a digital copy of the Frozen soundtrack for only $7.

Saving Mr. Banks - Now Available on Blu-ray and DVD!

Everyone knows the story of Mary Poppins, a magical nanny that flies into the Bank's household and saves the family. But do you know the story behind it?

Saving Mr. Banks gives us a look at the life of Mary Poppins’ author, P.L. Travers, and the struggle that Walt Disney went through to get the rights to turn her beloved character into a Disney film. Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) spent 20 years trying to convince Travers (Emma Thompson) to sell the rights of the book to him, to fulfill a promise he made to his daughters. We see flashbacks to Travers childhood where the characters of Mr. Banks and Mary Poppins are created to the uptight Travers who disagreed with everything Disney and his team proposed for the film.

Saving Mr. Banks is really a compelling story with great acting. It is certainly worth seeing, and the now you can own it on Blu-ray and DVD. There are loads of extra features packed into the discs, including:

- The Walt Disney Studios: From Poppins to the Present
- "Let's Go Fly A Kite" tribute to composer Richard Sherman
- Deleted Scenes

Saving Mr. Banks is now out in stores and Disney is offering a $5 off coupon when you purchase the blu-ray combo pack!You can also head on over to Disney Movie Rewards to download a free copy of the original production sheet music of "Let's Go Fly a Kite" when you purchase the movie.

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Disney's Muppets Most Wanted Advanced Screening Pass #Giveaway

The Muppets are back in their newest musical caper in Muppets Most Wanted. A sequel to the wildly popular film The Muppets from 2011, the new movie boasts stars Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey and Ty Burrell, and the greatest (biggest?) star of all, Miss Piggy (of course!). The Muppets gang finds themselves involved in an international crime caper while they are on a global tour, as the world’s greatest criminal Constantine steals Kermit’s identity.

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Muppets Most Wanted will be released in theatres on March 21, but one of my lucky readers can win a family pack of 4 tickets to the advanced screening on March 19! The screening is happening at Metrotown at 7pm. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

20% LEGO at Chapters Indigo

With the popularity of The LEGO Movie, this sale has come just in time for parents. For March, Chapters is offering 20% off LEGO Movie, City, Star Wars, Super Heroes, DUPLO and other select LEGO items. This a good deal for the new LEGO movie sets as they haven't been discounted anywhere else yet, and the sets have been flying off shelves. Check out what Chapters has to offer here.

Disney's The Jungle Book Diamond Edition Swings Into Stores

Get your jungle drums out because Disney has re-released The Jungle Book from the vault! This Diamond Edition comes as a Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD combo pack, and boasts a digitally remastered movie with tons of bonus features. Meet Mowgli and his friends Baloo and Baghera and you will be singing along to Bare Necessities in no time! 

Over 2 hours of bonus features are packed in this released, including:

- DisneyAnimation: Sparking Creativity - go behind the scenes with today's top Disney animators
- Sing-Along
- Alternate ending
- Music, Memories, Mowgli
- Hangin' Out at the Animal Kingdom
- Special introductions
- DisneyPedia: Junglemania
- Plus more!

I grew up with this movie and it's so much fun to meet Mowgli's jungle friends. It is definitely a Disney classic! The Jungle Book Diamond Edition is now out in stores everywhere in DVD and Blu-ray formats starting at $19.99.

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Disney and Quebec City's Hotel de Glace Unveils a "Frozen" Themed Guest Suite

With all the hype surrounding Disney's newest animated movie, Frozen, here is some more exciting news for Frozen fans!

Walt Disney Studios and Quebec City’s Hôtel de Glace have partnered to bring the magic of Disney’s hit animated feature film “Frozen” to life inside Canada’s annual, world-famous “Ice Hotel.” Created entirely out of sculpted ice and snow, this year’s Ice Hotel will feature a special Disney “Frozen”-themed Suite and Activity Cave, allowing guests and visitors the opportunity to experience the wonder of Disney’s wintry tale like never before.

Supervised by the film’s art director Michael Giaimo, the “Frozen Suite” will be modeled after the characters Anna & Elsa’s bedrooms in the film, while the “Frozen Activity Cave” is a play area with activities for families inspired by the film’s characters and themes.

Opening in January and running through March 23rd, the 2014 Hôtel de Glace is celebrating “Myths and Legends from Around the World.” Walt Disney Studios is thrilled to commemorate this theme with the inclusion of “Frozen,” the heartwarming and humorous twist on Hans Christian Andersen’s classic winter myth “The Snow Queen,” available on Digital HD & 3D February 25th and Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD & On-Demand March 18th.

I remember learning about the Quebec ice hotel (and the bonhomme mascot!) when I was in French class in highschool and I have always wanted to go. The new Frozen additions looks pretty amazing (as an ice hotel should!) and I really want to go check it out. Hopefully they keep it around for the following years. 

Disney's The Lone Ranger Blu-Ray and DVD Combo Pack Now Available!

The Lone Ranger is a remake of the TV show of the same name that aired in the 50's. Disney remade it into an exciting action packed movie, staring Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer as the title characters, Tonto and The Lone Ranger. While I am not familiar with the premis of the TV show, I did catch The Lone Ranger in theatres with my family and everyone enjoyed it. Johnny Depp plays another over-the-top character, Tonto, who teams up with The Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) to seek vengeance after justice has failed them.

There are plenty of extra features on the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, which is just what I like!

- Bloopers
- Deleted Scene
- Ridng the Rails of The Lone Ranger - learn what it takes to film one of the most epic train chases of all time
- Armie's Western Road Trip - hit the trail with Armie Hammer as he wades through rivers, battles dust storms, and shares what it's like to shoot in the American Southwest
- Becoming a Cowboy - watch as the actors enter Cowboy bootcamp

The Lone Ranger has now been released on Blu-ray and DVD and is available in stores starting from $21.99. This is a must add to your Disney library and for fans of a good fun Western themed movie!

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Free Frozen Lithographs with DVD Pre-Order

Disney's Frozen has been sweeping the country by storm (pardon the pun!) since it's release in theatres in November. The movie has been at the top of the box office ever since, and kids (young and old) have been buying up any and all Frozen merchandise at the Disney Stores. My family really enjoyed the movie and my sister has been obsessed ever since.

Pre-orders of the Blu-ray began yesterday at the Disney store, where you can receive a pack of 4 Frozen collector's lithographs for free. In addition, you will also receive a $20 off coupon for your next purchase. The movie will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on March 18th. For any Frozen fan, it's a must have!

Muppet Treasure Island and The Great Muppet Caper - 2 Muppety Adventures Movie Collection

Disney has re-released two great Muppet movies on Blu-ray and DVD combo pack. You can go on a swashbuckling adventure with Kermit and Miss Piggy in Muppet Treasure Island or follow a jewel heist in The Great Muppet Caper! Your favourite Muppets will all be there, including Kermit, Miss Piggy, Animal, Fozzie Bear and the Great Gonzo! The movies have been restored so you can enjoy these movies in HD.

There are tons of bonus features included on the discs as well:

- Frog-e-oke sing-along - sing, howl and croak along with Kermit and the gang
- The Tale of the Store Beyond the Tail - a look back at the making of the movie
- "Let the Good Shine Out" music video
- Audio commentary with Gonzo, Rizzo and Brian Henson

This two movie collection will provide hours of entertainment for the family and is available now on Blu-ray and DVD for $24.99. This pirates and pigs collection is perfect to tide over any Muppets fans who are impatiently waiting for the newest Muppets movie to come out. I'm extremely excited for Muppets Most Wanted to arrive in theatres this March. I was very happy to be adding so many Muppets movies to my collection this year.

While you're in stores, why not grab a copy of The Muppet Movie - The Original Classic too? It's on sale now for only $14.99 and you can relive the Muppets adventure that started it all.

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.

Disney's PLANES Flies Into Stores November 19!

Disney's PLANES is coming to Blu-ray and DVD on November 19 so now you can enjoy Dusty Crophopper and his friend's adventure. I really enjoyed the movie in theatres so I am very excited to add this to my collection.

“PLANES” is propelled by a star-studded voice cast that includes Dane Cook (“Louie,” “My Best Friend’s Girl,” “Dan in Real Life”) as Dusty, Stacy Keach (“The Bourne Legacy,” “Nebraska”) as Navy Corsair Skipper, Teri Hatcher (ABC’s “Desperate Housewives,” “Coraline”) as say-it-like-it-is mechanic Dottie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus (“Veep,” “The New Adventures of Old Christine,” “Seinfeld”) as Rochelle, Priyanka Chopra (“Barfi!”) as Ishani, John Cleese (Monty Python, “A Fish Called Wanda”) as Bulldog, Carlos Alazraqui (James Garcia on Comedy Central’s “Reno 911”) as El Chupacabra, Roger Craig Smith (Captain America in Disney XD’s “Marvel’s Avengers Assemble,” voice of Sonic The Hedgehog in “Wreck-It Ralph”) as the world champion racer Ripslinger, Val Kilmer (“Batman Forever,” “Top Gun”) as Bravo and Anthony Edwards (TV’s “ER,” “Top Gun”) as Echo.

The Blu-ray combo pack is full of bonus features including:

- Deleted Scenes
- Exclusive - Franz's Song
- Top Ten Flyers - Count down the world's most famous aviators with host Colin Cowherd
- Meet the Racers
- Klay's Flight Plan

For any fans of the Cars franchise, Planes would be the perfect companion movie! Check out this extended sneak peek of the DVD below!

Pick up Planes in stores on November 19th!

Disclaimer: The product mentioned above was provided by the company for review. The opinions expressed in this post are those of Savvy Shopping, Deals and Reviews and have not been influenced in any other way.