The new animated film “FREE BIRDS” is landing in theaters on November 1^st.  The film arrives just in time to save a few turkeys before Thanksgiving.  SpanglishBaby had the opportunity to attend a “Free Birds” roundtable interview with Jimmy Hayward (Film Director) and male voices Owen Wilson (Reggie) and Woody Harrelson (Jake), along with being able to attend a preview of the movie.

The movie is sure to be a “Fall favorite.”  This hilarious, adventurous comedy is for audiences of all ages.  The premise is that two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history in order to get turkey off the Thanksgiving menu for good.

Director Jimmy Hayward shared the main message of the movie. “You’re absolutely part of something bigger than just yourself.  It’s not about turkey or being a vegan or anything like that, because we all know that turkeys don’t talk–well, at least not to us.  And they don’t fly in time machines named Steve. Reggie is selfish and lazy, and Jake is this driven guy — Reggie really learns that he’s part of something bigger.  Just because you get rejected in your life doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t strive to be part of something that’s important–which is being part of the flock.”

I also got a chance to chat with Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson.  The chemistry between these two actors is undeniable, which explains why they work so well together in the movie. I must admit, at points during the interview it was hard to tell if they were actually joking or not, except when they started talking about their kids which peaked the interest of the “mom”  in me.

Owen Wilson on what kind of dad he is:

“Well, they say that the number one thing is to be consistent, and I guess I try to do that a little bit.  But, I actually remember you (to Woody) saying that a big thing, right before Ford (his son) was born is just to hug your kids a lot, and I do that, which comes very easily because he’s very hug-able.  And so, it sounds corny, but you can’t hug your kids enough or give them that confidence that they’re loved.”

Woody Harrelson on a “Dad’s fails”:

“My “Dad’s fails” have to do with if I’m working and can’t go to a play they’re in, that drives me crazy.  I have one coming up where my daughter Ophelia is in Hamlet.  It’s a problem, but I think I’m going to work it out.  I think I’ll be able to go.”

This November 1^st don’t miss this funny and adventurous comedy for audiences of all ages.

To learn more, Like FREE BIRDS on Facebook, Follow @FreeBirdsMovie on Twitter and Instagram. Visit the official website. Subscribe on YouTube #FreeBirds

Carla Gutierrez was born in Lima, Peru. She is the founder of Notas De Mama a Spanish blog created for Hispanic moms living in the United States. At Notas de Mamá Carla shares her daily life, family outings, recipes, product reviews and DIY projects. She enjoys crafting and decorating her home, while challenging herself to do it on a budget. Carla loves being a wife and a mom, and raising her 3 year old son in sunny California. She loves teaching her son about the Peruvian and American cultures, and is proud that at age 3 he is fully bilingual. Connect with Carla @notasdemama .

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and WGBH.

Just in time for Halloween, PBS Kids is premiering the first ever Curious George Halloween special called “A Halloween Boo Fest” Monday, Oct. 28. We got an advance copy and my kids and I sat down to watch this super cute movie starring Jorge el Curioso and we had so much fun!

The movie is all about the legendary No Noggin, a spooky scarecrow who is known to kick the hats of the heads of trick-o-treaters every Halloween. But is this a folk tale or a true story? That’s what Curious George will attempt to find out.

Santiago was a just a tiny bit scared during certain parts of the movie, but not enough to not want to watch it two times in a row. At 7 years old, I thought Vanessa wouldn’t be that interested, but she loves Jorge el Curioso, so she really enjoyed it.

Before I let my kids watch the movie a second time, I decided to take advantage of the movie’s theme to talk to them a bit about legends, folk tales and fables. And I did that while we made these super cute Scarecrow Cookies in honor of No Noggin.

These cookies were not only fun for my kids to make, but they were so easy that even my 4-year-old was able to help, which made him real happy! All you need for these Espantapajaros cookies is:

• Sugar cookies (face)
• White frosting
• Wafers (hat)
• Bran cereal (hair)
• Chocolate chips (eyes)
• Corn candy (nos)
• Chocolate sprinkles (mouth)

It took us no time to make a dozen cookies that the kids shared with their best friend and also their babysitter. They were so happy of their accomplishment. Hopefully, they also understood what I tried to to teach them about fables and folktales. Now that we’ve talked a bit about the topic, I’m going to be on the lookout for some books in folktales in Spanish to reinforce what we discussed.

All in all, we had a great movie night! By the way, along with the movie, a bilingual book called Curious George va a una fiesta de disfraces, we also got some fun activities you can download for your kids to enjoy too:

Spanish: http://to.pbs.org/19Ls6UU ; http://to.pbs.org/194FvX7

English: http://to.pbs.org/16KfblE ; http://to.pbs.org/GZwiGD

And don’t miss the premiere of A Halloween Boo Fest on Oct. 28 on PBS Kids.

Eugenio Derbez is one of the greatest entertainers Mexico has ever had and now he’s managed to cross over to Hollywood with a film that has been his dream-in-the-making for over 10 years: Instructions Not Included. This adorable bilingual (English/Spanish) movie, distributed by Pantelion Films, opens in select U.S. theaters this Friday, August 30th. We don’t just suggest you go watch it, we urge you to not miss this movie! Not only will you laugh and will your heart strings be pulled, but you will let go a sigh of relief that finally, finally, Hollywood has captured a beautiful slice of Latino bilingual and bicultural, and even blended, families.

Eugenio Derbez, who not only stars, but also wrote, directed and produced Instructions Not Included,  isn’t the only one that shines in this movie. Loreto Peralta clearly steals the show and Derbez graciously lets her. This is Loreto’s first film, but it certainly shouldn’t be the last. This 9-year-old girl, born and raised in México City, was discovered only after the casting had gone through so many rounds of boys and girls and just couldn’t find the right kid for this part. One of the main requirement? S he must be perfectly bilingual. And Loreto is just that. Not only is she completely at ease going back and forth between English and Spanish, but she’s also an innate artist with incredible talent and a smile that melts our heart. You would think this part was actually written for her!

We got the chance to watch the movie at a private screening organized by Latina Bloggers Connect and Pantelion Films, where we also got to meet and talk with Eugenio Derbez and Loreto Peralta. Of course, we had to ask them about the importance of being raised bilingual. You will love their responses and should bookmark this video for when you need extra inspiration!

I really don’t want to tell you much about the movie’s plot because I don’t want to spoil anything for you. You can check out the trailer below and just know that you will laugh, you will cry and you will walk out of the theatre feeling warm and fuzzy and will want all your friends to feel it too. ¡Es en serio!

Disney’s “Planes” is now in theaters nationwide! I was fortunate to learn some behind the scenes information representing SpanglishBaby at the DisneyToon Studios, even interviewing  Teri Hatcher (voice of Dottie) and the film’s Director and Producer too. It was an awesome experience, especially since this Disney film is extremely special.

Main character, Dusty, is but a simple crop duster from the farm town of Propwash Junction, USA. Together with the support of his best friend Chug and over-protective mechanic Dottie, Dusty dreams of “being something more than what I was built for” and works diligently everyday to achieve those goals. I loved all the scenes of Dusty practicing – flying the same track of corn fields and water tower everyday without complaint – messaging many parents will appreciate. In a world where hard work can sometimes go unnoticed, we watched as Dusty’s dreams became a passion and, ultimately, a huge success as he conquers his ultimate fear – his fear of heights!

I can hardly get around writing about the joy of hearing a Spanish accent and depiction of a Mexican plane in this new Disney film. Voiced by the amazing Carlos Alazraqui, movie watchers are introduced to the indoor racing champion of the world, El Chupacabra. I can’t deny feeling akin to El Chu’s warm and loyal qualities. He becomes a good friend to Dusty, while bringing humor to the film with his grand declarations – “… I swish my cape at you!”.

In addition to Dusty and El Chu, “Planes” lights up the sky with planes from all over world, giving this Disney movie a distinct multi-cultural perspective. Ishani is from India, Bulldog is from Great Britain, and Rochelle, who is “localized” in 8 different countries, is a French Canadian. As the characters fly through new terrain of countries not often depicted to our children. In fact, the scene when Dusty and Ishani go flying by the Taj Mahal is one the favorites of Director, Klay Harris as the sheer beauty of the imagery is undeniable. The race around the world truly brings in new imagery, voices and cultures from the high vantage points of planes. And the moment when Dusty’s friends from around the world come together to his aid is truly one of camaraderie and partnership. The scene of Dusty’s near demise turned out pour of support is a true Disney moment filled with hope and optimism; one that makes us hope that maybe our world is a better place than given credit for.

To learn more, like Disney’s PLANES on Facebook. Follow Disney’s PLANES on Twitter @DisneyPictures and visit the Planes website. 

The Giveaway!

Sweeten the deal and enjoy a smoothie while soaring through “Planes”. We are giving away a $50 Jamba Juice gift card for you to enjoy with your niños before watching Planes! All you have to do is leave us a comment telling is what you are looking forward to the most in Disney’s new Planes movie and enter the rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Camila has decided she also wants to be a blogger. We’ve agreed that she can help me review movies, books, toys and such. Of course, I want her to do the videos in Spanish, but she feels more at ease in English (sigh…).

We watched Dreamwork’s newly release family movie a few weeks ago and both her and her prima who was visiting from El Salvador laughed out loud the whole time. This was great to see since my girl typically skews towards the more “girly” movies, but Turbo is just way too much fun.

Who would think that the story of a snail with huge ambitions could be so captivating? Well, it is.

Check out Camila’s review:

Turbo premiered on July 17th and stars the voices of Ryan Reynolds, Paul Giamatti, Ken Jeong, Maya Rudolph, Ben Schwartz, Snoop Dogg, and Samuel L. Jackson

Visit the official website
Like Turbo on Facebook
Follow @GoTurbo on Twitter #TurboMovie
Watch the trailer & more on YouTube

The latest Mickey Mouse Clubhouse adventure is here! When the legendary Crystal Mickey goes missing, Mickey and friends go on an adventure to save the Clubhouse from losing its magic.“Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Quest for the Crystal Mickey!” is out on Disney DVD. The DVD includes four extra episodes of Disney Junior’s Emmy®-nominated series “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse” (over 2 hours of content!) and a free Adventure Activity Map plus Stickers.

We love that Disney DVD’s include the Spanish soundtrack for our niños to enjoy. So, of course, we want to share this DVD with you! Five lucky winners will not only take Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Quest for the Crystal Mickey! but they will also take one copy of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie’s Wizard of Dizz. Check out the giveaway below.

The Giveaway!

We are giving away one copy of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: The Quest for the Crystal Mickey!  AND one copy of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie’s Wizard of Dizz to FIVE lucky winners! All you have to do is leave us a comment telling us who your kids favorite Micky Mouse Clubhouse character is. Then enter the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EPIC is  an adventure comedy that takes place deep in the forest where there is an on-going battle between the forces of good and evil. The story begins when a teenage girl, named MK, finds herself in this fantastical world and teams up with a band of Leafmen warriors and a humorous crew to save the world. With an amazing voice talent that includes Beyoncé, Pitbull, Colin Farrell, Amanda Seyfried, Josh Hutcherson and Christoph Waltz this movie has something for everyone in the family.

Epic opens on May 24th, but we want you to be among the first to enjoy it! We’re giving away two family four-packs of tickets for an advanced screening of Epic in 10 different cities! That’s a total of 20 family four packs! Take a look at the trailer below.

The Giveaway!

Twenty winners will take one family 4-pack of tickets to an advanced screening of  EPIC. The screenings will take place in the ten cities listed in the chart below (tickets only, no travel, meals or accommodations). There will be two winners for each of the cities listed below. Winners must be available to attend Saturday, May 18th at 10:30 Am and passes are non-transferrable. Tickets will be picked up at will-call the day of the event. Please do not enter if you’re not sure you’ll be able to make it.

To enter all you have to do is leave a comment telling us which city from the list below you would be able to attend. The first two entries with valid emails per city will take ONE family four pack. Good luck! 

This giveaway closes on Wednesday, May 15th.

Many of our niños might already be fans of Disney’s new movie Oz The Great And Powerful. Ana shared her thoughts on the film here and told us about the women that make OZ the great and powerful.

To celebrate the release of this movie that was #1 worldwide on its opening weekend, we are sharing a set of four activity sheets for you to enjoy with your kids. The activity sheets include a spot the difference game, a maze, a mask, and memory cards.

For a printable version of the activity sheets pictured above click here.

My girl is a ballerina at heart. What she lacks in precise talent at age 5, she makes up for in passion, persistence and love for the art form. She’s also an unabashed fan of the color pink in all its shades. Do I even really have to tell you how much she adored watching Barbie in the Pink Shoes DVD and twirling around with her new ballerina Barbie?

Barbie’s 25th title in twelve years brings ballet back to the spotlight for the first time in years – introducing a new generation of girls to the moves and music of famous Giselle and Swan Lake. Whether your girl is a budding ballerina or just prancing in colorful tutus around the house, she’s bound to engage with Barbie in this magical adventure where dancing and dreams intertwine.

Barbie in The Pink Shoes also marks the first time a Barbie movie will be released on Blu-Ray. Scroll down to enter our giveaway for a chance to win the prize pack pictured above.

The Giveaway!

We are giving away one copy of Barbie in the Pink Shoes DVD and Barbie doll to one lucky winner! Just leave us a comment telling us who you’d like to share this prize with, and then enter the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“Bless Me, Ultima,” based on Rudolfo Anaya’s best-selling Chicano novel of all time, will be released to more than 200 theaters across the nation this February 22.

The film adaptation of Bless Me, Ultima, rated PG-13, is an important milestone in movies with topics focusing on Latino families since this Mexican-American coming-of-age book has been banned or challenged from being taught at many schools or offered in some libraries because it contains adult language. The movie version now brings this important story to a new audience and in a new medium that allows Anaya’s characters to truly shine.

I received a screener copy of the movie and, not having had a chance to read the book yet, was mesmerized by the beautiful relationship between Antonio, 6, and Ultima, the curandera (medicine woman) that helped him come to this world and has remained his spiritual guide.

The character of Ultima brought me back to my days in Mexico and of meeting so many special people like her that embodied the spiritual richness and contrasts of the country. Ultima is a healer, a mentor, a wise woman that bridges the physical, natural and spiritual worlds. She’s also a fierce warrior and defender of that which is “good” and sacred.

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